Deuteronomy 6:14
New International Version
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you;

New Living Translation
“You must not worship any of the gods of neighboring nations,

English Standard Version
You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you—

Berean Standard Bible
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.

King James Bible
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;

New King James Version
You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you

New American Standard Bible
You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,

NASB 1995
“You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,

NASB 1977
“You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall not walk after other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,

Amplified Bible
You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,

Christian Standard Bible
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you,

American Standard Version
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round about you;

Contemporary English Version
Don't have anything to do with gods that are worshiped by the nations around you.

English Revised Version
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples which are round about you;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Never worship any of the gods worshiped by the people around you.

Good News Translation
Do not worship other gods, any of the gods of the peoples around you.

International Standard Version
Do not follow other gods, from the gods of the peoples around you.

Majority Standard Bible
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.

NET Bible
You must not go after other gods, those of the surrounding peoples,

New Heart English Bible
You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you;

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are around you;

World English Bible
You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You do not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who [are] around you,

Young's Literal Translation
ye do not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are round about you;

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall not go after other gods from the gods of the peoples which are round about you;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
You shall not go after the strange gods of all the nations, that are round about you:

Catholic Public Domain Version
You shall not go after the strange gods of all the Gentiles, who are around you.

New American Bible
You shall not go after other gods, any of the gods of the surrounding peoples—

New Revised Standard Version
Do not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are all around you,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the people who are round about you,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Do not go after other gods of the Gentiles who are in your surroundings;
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round about you;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Go ye not after other gods of the gods of the nations round about you;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Greatest Commandment
13Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name. 14Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you. 15For the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God. Otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.…

Cross References
Exodus 20:3
You shall have no other gods before Me.

Joshua 23:7
So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.

2 Kings 17:35
For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.

Jeremiah 25:6
Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’

Jeremiah 35:15
Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions. Do not go after other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.

1 Kings 9:6-9
But if indeed you or your sons turn away from following Me and do not keep the commandments and statutes I have set before you, and if you go off to serve and worship other gods, / then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. Then Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all peoples. / And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ ...

2 Chronicles 7:19-22
But if you turn away and forsake the statutes and commandments I have set before you, and if you go off to serve and worship other gods, / then I will uproot Israel from the soil I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. I will make it an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples. / And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ ...

Psalm 81:9
There must be no strange god among you, nor shall you bow to a foreign god.

Isaiah 42:8
I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.

Hosea 13:4
Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me.

Matthew 4:10
“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Luke 4:8
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

1 Corinthians 8:5-6
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

1 John 5:21
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Acts 14:15
“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;

not go

Deuteronomy 8:19
And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

Deuteronomy 11:28
And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

Exodus 34:14-16
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: …

of the gods

Deuteronomy 13:7
Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;

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Peoples Round Surround
Deuteronomy 6
1. The end of the law is obedience
3. An exhortation thereto
20. What they are to teach their children














Do not follow other gods
This phrase is a direct command from God, emphasizing the exclusivity of worship that is due to Him alone. The Hebrew word for "follow" is "לֹא תֵלְכוּ" (lo telechu), which implies a journey or a path. In the ancient Near Eastern context, following other gods was not merely a matter of personal belief but involved adopting the practices, rituals, and moral codes associated with those deities. The command underscores the importance of remaining faithful to the covenant relationship with Yahweh, who delivered Israel from Egypt. This exclusivity is foundational to the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), which calls for wholehearted love and devotion to God.

the gods of the peoples around you
The phrase "the gods of the peoples around you" refers to the deities worshiped by the neighboring nations of Israel, such as the Canaanites, Moabites, and Ammonites. These gods, like Baal, Asherah, and Molech, were often associated with fertility, war, and the natural elements. The Hebrew word for "gods" is "אֱלֹהִים" (elohim), which can refer to divine beings or idols. The historical context reveals that these gods were often worshiped through practices that were abhorrent to Yahweh, including child sacrifice and ritual prostitution. The Israelites were called to be a distinct and holy people, set apart for God's purposes, and this required rejecting the idolatrous practices of their neighbors. This command serves as a reminder of the spiritual battle against syncretism and the need for vigilance in maintaining purity of worship.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

follow
תֵֽלְכ֔וּן (ṯê·lə·ḵūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

other
אֲחֵרִ֑ים (’ă·ḥê·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

gods,
אֱלֹהִ֣ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

the gods
מֵאֱלֹהֵי֙ (mê·’ĕ·lō·hê)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of the peoples
הָֽעַמִּ֔ים (hā·‘am·mîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

around you.
סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (sə·ḇî·ḇō·w·ṯê·ḵem)
Adverb | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 6:14 You shall not go after other gods (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 6:13
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