Deuteronomy 13

Living Bible

13 “If there is a prophet among you, or one who claims to foretell the future by dreams, ² and if his predictions come true but he says, ‘Come, let us worship the gods of the other nations,’ ³ don’t listen to him. For the Lord is testing you to find out whether or not you really love him with all your heart and soul. ⁴ You must never worship any God but Jehovah; obey only his commands and cling to him.

⁵ “The prophet who tries to lead you astray must be executed, for he has attempted to foment rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you out of slavery in the land of Egypt. By executing him you will clear out the evil from among you.

^6-7 “If your nearest relative or closest friend, even a brother, son, daughter, or beloved wife whispers to you to come and worship these foreign gods, ⁸ do not consent or listen, and have no pity: Do not spare that person from the penalty; don’t conceal his horrible suggestion. ⁹ Execute him! Your own hand shall be the first upon him to put him to death, then the hands of all the people. ¹⁰ Stone him to death because he has tried to draw you away from the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery. ¹¹ Then all Israel will hear about his evil deed and will fear such wickedness as this among you.

^12-14 “If you ever hear it said about one of the cities of Israel that some worthless rabble have led their fellow citizens astray with the suggestion that they worship foreign gods, first check the facts to see if the rumor is true. If you find that it is, that it is certain that such a horrible thing is happening among you in one of the cities the Lord has given you, ¹⁵ you must without fail declare war against that city and utterly destroy all of its inhabitants, and even all of the cattle. ¹⁶ Afterwards you must pile all the booty into the middle of the street and burn it, then put the entire city to the torch, as a burnt offering to Jehovah your God. That city shall forever remain a lifeless mound and may never be rebuilt. ¹⁷ Keep none of the booty! Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you, and have compassion upon you, and make you a great nation just as he promised your ancestors.

¹⁸ “Of course, the Lord your God will be merciful only if you have been obedient to him and to his commandments that I am giving you today, and if you have been doing that which is right in the eyes of the Lord.