DeuteronomyChapter 13

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¹A prophet or someone who has dreams may come among you. He may tell you about a sign or a wonder. ²The sign or wonder he told you about may even come true. But then he says, "Let us follow other gods and worship them." These are gods you have not known. ³If that happens, you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you. He wants to find out if you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴You must follow the LORD your God and fear him. Keep his commands and listen to his voice. Serve him and hold on tight to him. ⁵That prophet or dreamer must be put to death. He has called for rebellion against the LORD your God. The LORD brought you out of the land of Egypt. He redeemed you from the land where you were slaves. But this man has tried to turn you away from the way the LORD your God commanded you to live. So you must get rid of the evil among you. ⁶Someone close to you may secretly try to lead you astray. It may be your own brother, your son or daughter, the wife you love, or your closest friend. He may say, "Let us go and worship other gods." These are gods that neither you nor your fathers have known. ⁷They may be the gods of the peoples around you, near or far. They may be from one end of the earth to the other. ⁸Do not give in to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or protect him. ⁹Instead, you must surely kill him. Your hand must be the first to put him to death. Then the hands of all the people must follow. ¹⁰Stone him to death. He 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 slaves. ¹¹Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid. No one among you will ever do such a wicked thing again. ¹²The LORD your God is giving you cities to live in. You may hear something said about one of them. ¹³You may hear that wicked men have come from among you. They have led the people of their city astray. They have said, "Let us go and serve other gods." These are gods you have not known. ¹⁴Then you must ask questions and look into it. Find out everything. It may be proven true that this disgusting thing has been done among you. ¹⁵If so, you must surely kill the people of that city with the sword. Devote it to destruction. Destroy all its people and all its animals. ¹⁶Gather everything taken from the city into the middle of its public square. Then burn the whole city and everything taken from it. It will be a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. The city must stay a pile of ruins forever. It must never be built again. ¹⁷Do not keep for yourselves anything that was devoted to destruction. Then the LORD will turn away from his burning anger. He will show you mercy and kindness. He will make you grow in number, as he swore to your fathers. ¹⁸He will do this because you obey the LORD your God. You will keep all his commands that I am giving you today. And you will do what is right in the eyes of the LORD your God.