| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1 "A prophet or a diviner of dreams may arise among you, give you an omen or a miracle | 1Suppose a prophet or one who foretells by dreams should appear among you and show you a sign or wonder, |
| 2that takes place, and then he may tell you, 'Let's follow other gods (whom you have not known) and let's serve them.' Even though the sign or portent comes to pass, | 2and the sign or wonder should come to pass concerning what he said to you, namely, "Let us follow other gods"--gods whom you have not previously known--"and let us serve them." |
| 3you must not listen to the words of that prophet or that diviner of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to make known whether or not you'll continue to love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. | 3You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer, for the LORD your God will be testing you to see if you love him with all your mind and being. |
| 4You must follow the LORD your God, fear him, observe his commandments, listen to his voice, serve him, and cling to him. | 4You 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. |
| 5That prophet or diviner of dreams must be executed, because he advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and because he lured you from the way in which the LORD your God instructed you to live. Purge the evil from among you." | 5As for that prophet or dreamer, he must be executed because he encouraged rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, redeeming you from that place of slavery, and because he has tried to entice you from the way the LORD your God has commanded you to go. In this way you must purge out evil from within. |
| 6"Your own blood brother, your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your friend who is like your soul mate may entice you quietly. He may tell you, 'Let's go and serve other gods,' (whom neither you nor your ancestors have known | 6Suppose your own full brother, your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend should seduce you secretly and encourage you to go and serve other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have previously known, |
| 7from the gods of the people that surround you—whether near or far from you—from one end of the earth to the other). | 7the gods of the surrounding people (whether near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other). |
| 8You must not yield to him, listen to him, look with pity on him, show compassion to him, or even cover up for him. | 8You must not give in to him or even listen to him; do not feel sympathy for him or spare him or cover up for him. |
| 9But you must surely execute him. You must be the first to put him to death with your own hand, and then the hands of the whole community. | 9Instead, you must kill him without fail! Your own hand must be the first to strike him, and then the hands of the whole community. |
| 10Stone him to death, because he sought to lure you from the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the land of slavery. | 10You must stone him to death because he tried to entice you away from the LORD your God, who delivered you from the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. |
| 11Then all Israel will hear about it, be afraid, and won't do this evil thing again among you. | 11Thus all Israel will hear and be afraid; no longer will they continue to do evil like this among you. |
| 12"You may hear in one of your towns that the LORD your God is giving you to inhabit | 12Suppose you should hear in one of your cities, which the LORD your God is giving you as a place to live, that |
| 13that worthless men have come from among you to entice those who live in the towns. They may say, 'Let's go and serve other gods that you haven't known.' | 13some evil people have departed from among you to entice the inhabitants of their cities, saying, "Let's go and serve other gods" (whom you have not known before). |
| 14You must thoroughly investigate and inquire if it is true that this detestable thing exists among you. If it is so, | 14You must investigate thoroughly and inquire carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done among you, |
| 15then put the inhabitants of the town to death by the sword. Devote everything in it to divine destruction—even its livestock—by the sword. | 15you must by all means slaughter the inhabitants of that city with the sword; annihilate with the sword everyone in it, as well as the livestock. |
| 16Gather whatever you've taken as spoils at the public square of the town, then burn the town, along with whatever you've taken, as an offering to the LORD your God. It will remain a permanent mound of ruins, never to be rebuilt again. | 16You must gather all of its plunder into the middle of the plaza and burn the city and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. It will be an abandoned ruin forever--it must never be rebuilt again. |
| 17Moreover, you must never take any item from those condemned things, so the LORD may yet relent from his burning anger and extend compassion, have mercy, and cause you to increase in number—as he promised by an oath to your ancestors— | 17You must not take for yourself anything that has been placed under judgment. Then the LORD will relent from his intense anger, show you compassion, have mercy on you, and multiply you as he promised your ancestors. |
| 18if you obey the voice of the LORD your God by observing all his commands that I'm commanding you today. Do what is right in the sight of the LORD your God." | 18Thus you must obey the LORD your God, keeping all his commandments that I am giving you today and doing what is right before him. |
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