Deuteronomy 13:4
New International Version
It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.

New Living Translation
Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.

English Standard Version
You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.

Berean Standard Bible
You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him.

King James Bible
Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

New King James Version
You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.

New American Standard Bible
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.

NASB 1995
“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.

NASB 1977
“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.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall walk after Yahweh your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.

Amplified Bible
You shall walk after the LORD your God and you shall fear [and worship] Him [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect], and you shall keep His commandments and you shall listen to His voice, and you shall serve Him, and cling to Him.

Christian Standard Bible
You must follow the LORD your God and fear him. You must keep his commands and listen to him; you must worship him and remain faithful to him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You must follow the LORD your God and fear Him. You must keep His commands and listen to His voice; you must worship Him and remain faithful to Him.

American Standard Version
Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

Contemporary English Version
You must be completely faithful to the LORD. Worship and obey only the LORD and do this with fear and trembling,

English Revised Version
Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Worship the LORD your God, fear him, obey his commands, listen to what he says, serve him, and be loyal to him.

Good News Translation
Follow the LORD and honor him; obey him and keep his commands; worship him and be faithful to him.

International Standard Version
You must follow the LORD your God, fear him, observe his commandments, listen to his voice, serve him, and cling to him.

Majority Standard Bible
You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him.

NET Bible
You must follow the LORD your God and revere only him; and you must observe his commandments, obey him, serve him, and remain loyal to him.

New Heart English Bible
You shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and cling to him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave to him.

World English Bible
You shall walk after Yahweh your God, fear him, keep his commandments, and obey his voice. You shall serve him, and cling to him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
you walk after your God YHWH, and you fear Him, and you keep His commands, and you listen to His voice, and you serve Him, and you cleave to Him.

Young's Literal Translation
after Jehovah your God ye walk, and Him ye fear, and His commands ye keep, and to His voice ye hearken, and Him ye serve, and to Him ye cleave.

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall go after Jehovah your God, and ye shall fear him, and his commands shall ye watch, and to his voice shall ye hear, and ye shall serve him, and to him shall ye cleave.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Follow the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and hear his voice: him you shall serve, and to him you shall cleave.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Follow the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and listen to his voice. Him shall you serve, and to him shall you cling.

New American Bible
The LORD, your God, shall you follow, and him shall you fear; his commandments shall you observe, and to his voice shall you listen; him you shall serve, and to him you shall hold fast.

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD your God you shall follow, him alone you shall fear, his commandments you shall keep, his voice you shall obey, him you shall serve, and to him you shall hold fast.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall walk after the LORD your God, and reverence him and keep his commandments and obey him, and you shall serve him and cleave to him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Go after LORD JEHOVAH your God and stand in awe of him and keep his commandments and listen to him and serve him and cling to Him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
After the LORD your God shall ye walk, and Him shall ye fear, and His commandments shall ye keep, and unto His voice shall ye hearken, and Him shall ye serve, and unto Him shall ye cleave.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Ye shall follow the Lord your God, and fear him, and ye shall hear his voice, and attach yourselves to him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Idolaters to Be Put to Death
3you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him. 5Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way in which the LORD your God has commanded you to walk. So you must purge the evil from among you.…

Cross References
Joshua 22:5
But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

1 Samuel 12:14
If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well.

2 Kings 17:13
Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.”

2 Kings 23:3
So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

Nehemiah 1:5
Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments,

Psalm 119:1-3
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD. / Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart. / They do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.

Isaiah 8:13
The LORD of Hosts is the One you shall regard as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be dreaded.

Jeremiah 7:23
but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you.

Jeremiah 26:13
So now, correct your ways and deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, so that He might relent of the disaster He has pronounced against you.

Ezekiel 11:20
so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

Matthew 22:37
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:21
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”

John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

Acts 5:29
But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and join to him.

walk

Deuteronomy 6:13
Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

2 Kings 23:3
And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

2 Chronicles 34:31
And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.

and obey

Jeremiah 7:23
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

and cleave

Deuteronomy 10:20
Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

Deuteronomy 30:20
That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Romans 6:13
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

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Deuteronomy 13
1. Enticers to idolatry
6. however near to oneself
9. are to be stoned to death
12. Idolatrous cities are not to be spared














You shall follow
The Hebrew root for "follow" is "הלך" (halak), which means to walk or go. In the context of Deuteronomy, this word implies a continuous, active pursuit of God's ways. It is not a passive acknowledgment but a deliberate choice to align one's life with God's commandments. Historically, this call to follow God was a reminder to the Israelites to remain distinct from the surrounding nations and their practices. For the modern believer, it is a call to live a life that reflects God's character and teachings.

the LORD your God
The phrase "the LORD your God" is a translation of "יהוה אלהיכם" (YHWH Eloheikhem). "YHWH" is the personal name of God, often rendered as "LORD" in English translations, signifying His eternal, self-existent nature. "Eloheikhem" means "your God," emphasizing a personal relationship between God and His people. This relationship is covenantal, rooted in God's promises to the patriarchs and His deliverance of Israel from Egypt. For Christians, this relationship is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who invites believers into a personal relationship with God.

and fear Him
The Hebrew word for "fear" is "ירא" (yare), which encompasses reverence, awe, and respect. This fear is not about being afraid but about recognizing God's holiness and authority. In the ancient Near Eastern context, fear of a deity was common, but the fear of the LORD is unique in that it is based on love and respect rather than terror. For believers, fearing God means acknowledging His power and majesty while trusting in His goodness and love.

Keep His commandments
The word "keep" comes from the Hebrew "שמר" (shamar), meaning to guard, observe, or give heed. It implies diligence and careful attention to God's laws. The commandments refer to the laws given by God to Israel, which were meant to guide them in righteous living. In the New Testament, Jesus summarizes these commandments as loving God and loving others. Keeping God's commandments is an expression of love and devotion to Him.

and listen to His voice
"Listen" is translated from the Hebrew "שמע" (shama), which means to hear, listen, or obey. Listening to God's voice involves more than just hearing; it requires a response of obedience. In the biblical narrative, God often spoke through prophets, and today, believers are encouraged to listen to God through Scripture, prayer, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Listening to God is essential for discerning His will and living according to His purposes.

serve Him
The Hebrew word for "serve" is "עבד" (avad), which means to work, serve, or worship. Serving God involves dedicating one's life to His service, which includes worship, obedience, and acts of love and justice. In the ancient context, serving a deity was a common practice, but serving the LORD was distinct because it was based on a covenant relationship. For Christians, serving God is a response to His grace and a reflection of Christ's example of servanthood.

and hold fast to Him
"Hold fast" is derived from the Hebrew "דבק" (dabaq), meaning to cling, cleave, or adhere. This phrase conveys a sense of loyalty and commitment. In the context of Deuteronomy, it is a call to remain faithful to God amidst the temptations to follow other gods. For believers, holding fast to God means maintaining a steadfast faith and trust in Him, especially during trials and challenges. It is a call to remain anchored in God's love and truth.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You are to follow
תֵּלֵ֖כוּ (tê·lê·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

the LORD
יְהוָ֧ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

your God
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֛ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

and
וְאֹת֣וֹ (wə·’ō·ṯōw)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker | third person masculine singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

fear Him.
תִירָ֑אוּ (ṯî·rā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

Keep
תִּשְׁמֹ֙רוּ֙ (tiš·mō·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

His commandments
מִצְוֺתָ֤יו (miṣ·wō·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4687: Commandment

and listen
תִשְׁמָ֔עוּ (ṯiš·mā·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

to His voice;
וּבְקֹל֣וֹ (ū·ḇə·qō·lōw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

serve
תַעֲבֹ֖דוּ (ṯa·‘ă·ḇō·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

Him
וּב֥וֹ (ū·ḇōw)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and hold Him fast.
תִדְבָּקֽוּן׃ (ṯiḏ·bā·qūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 1692: To impinge, cling, adhere, to catch by pursuit


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 13:4 You shall walk after Yahweh your God (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 13:3
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