1 “ A man who tells what is going to happen or a dreamer of dreams may come among you. He may give you something special to see or do a powerful work.

“ If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,

2 A nd what he tells you will happen might come true. But if he says to you, ‘Let us follow other gods (whom you have not known) and let us worship them,’

and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘ Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’

3 d o not listen to the words of that man who tells you what will happen or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is putting you to the test to see if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

4 F ollow the Lord your God and fear Him. Keep His Laws, and listen to His voice. Work for Him, and hold on to Him.

You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.

5 B ut that man who tells what is going to happen or that dreamer of dreams must be put to death, because he has talked to you about turning away from the Lord your God Who brought you from the land of Egypt and set you free from the land where you were servants. That man tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God told you to walk. You must take the sinful away from you.

But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.

6 “ Your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your friend who is as your own soul, might tempt you in secret. They might say, ‘Let us go and worship other gods’ (whom you and your fathers have not known.

“ If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ‘ Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known,

7 T hey might be gods of the nations who are around you, near you, or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other).

of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end),

8 D o not agree with him or listen to him. Do not look on him with pity. And do not show him loving-kindness or hide him.

you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him.

9 Y ou must kill him. Your hand should be first against him to put him to death, and then the hand of all the people.

But you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

10 K ill him with stones, because he has tried to turn you away from the Lord your God Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the land where you were servants.

So you shall stone him to death because he has sought to seduce you from the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

11 T hen all Israel will hear and be afraid. No one will do such a sinful thing among you again.

Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.

12 “ You might hear that in one of the cities the Lord your God has given you to live in

“If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you to live in, anyone saying that

13 t hat some men of no worth have gone out from among you to tempt those who live in their city. They might say, ‘Let us go and worship other gods,’ (whom you have not known).

some worthless men have gone out from among you and have seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘ Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom you have not known),

14 T hen you should ask around and try to find out if this is true. If it is true that this sinful thing has been done among you,

then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you,

15 y ou must be sure to go against those of that city with the sword. Destroy all of it, all that is in it, and its cattle, with the sword.

you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it and all that is in it and its cattle with the edge of the sword.

16 T hen gather all that is left into the center of the city. Burn the city and all that is left in it with fire as a whole burnt gift to the Lord your God. It will be destroyed forever. It will never be built again.

Then you shall gather all its booty into the middle of its open square and burn the city and all its booty with fire as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God; and it shall be a ruin forever. It shall never be rebuilt.

17 L et nothing of the things to be destroyed be kept in your own hand so the Lord may turn from His burning anger and show loving-kindness to you. He will show you loving-pity and make you a nation of many, just as He promised your fathers.

Nothing from that which is put under the ban shall cling to your hand, in order that the Lord may turn from His burning anger and show mercy to you, and have compassion on you and make you increase, just as He has sworn to your fathers,

18 B ut you must listen to the voice of the Lord your God. Obey all His Laws which I am telling you today. Do what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God.

if you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, keeping all His commandments which I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord your God.