Modern translation of Exodus 19 and 20, "The Message"; ALSO Deuteronomy 5

Mount Sinai
1Three months after leaving Egypt the Israelites entered the Wilderness of Sinai. 2They followed the route from Rephidim, arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai, and set up camp. Israel camped there facing the mountain.



3As Moses went up to meet God, GOD called down to him from the mountain: "Speak to the House of Jacob, tell the People of Israel: 4"You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to me. 5If you will listen obediently to what I say and keep my covenant, out of all peoples you'll be my special treasure. The whole Earth is mine to choose from, 6but you're special: a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.'
"This is what I want you to tell the People of Israel."
7Moses came back and called the elders of Israel together and set before them all these words which GOD had commanded him.
8The people were unanimous in their response: "Everything GOD says, we will do." Moses took the people's answer back to GOD.
9GOD said to Moses, "Get ready. I'm about to come to you in a thick cloud so that the people can listen in and trust you completely when I speak with you." Again Moses reported the people's answer to GOD.
10GOD said to Moses, "Go to the people. For the next two days get these people ready to meet the Holy GOD. Have them scrub their clothes 11so that on the third day they'll be fully prepared, because on the third day GOD will come down on Mount Sinai and make his presence known to all the people. 12Post boundaries for the people all around, telling them, "Warning! Don't climb the mountain. Don't even touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain dies--a certain death. 13And no one is to touch that person, he's to be stoned. That's right--stoned. Or shot with arrows, shot to death. Animal or man, whichever--put to death.'
"A long blast from the horn will signal that it's safe to climb the mountain."
14Moses went down the mountain to the people and prepared them for the holy meeting. They gave their clothes a good scrubbing. 15Then he addressed the people: "Be ready in three days. Don't sleep with a woman."
16On the third day at daybreak, there were loud claps of thunder, flashes of lightning, a thick cloud covering the mountain, and an ear-piercing trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp shuddered in fear.
17Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at attention at the base of the mountain.
18Mount Sinai was all smoke because GOD had come down on it as fire. Smoke poured from it like smoke from a furnace. The whole mountain shuddered in huge spasms. 19The trumpet blasts grew louder and louder. Moses spoke and God answered in thunder. 20GOD descended to the peak of Mount Sinai. GOD called Moses up to the peak and Moses climbed up.
21GOD said to Moses, "Go down. Warn the people not to break through the barricades to get a look at GOD lest many of them die. 22And the priests also, warn them to prepare themselves for the holy meeting, lest GOD break out against them."
23Moses said to GOD, "But the people can't climb Mount Sinai. You've already warned us well telling us: "Post boundaries around the mountain. Respect the holy mountain.'"
24GOD told him, "Go down and then bring Aaron back up with you. But make sure that the priests and the people don't break through and come up to GOD, lest he break out against them."
25So Moses went down to the people. He said to them:

CHAPTER 20

1GOD spoke all these words:
2I am GOD, your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of a life of slavery.
3No other gods, only me.
4No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. 5Don't bow down to them and don't serve them because I am GOD your God, and I'm a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. 6But I'm unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.
7No using the name of GOD your God, in curses or silly banter; GOD won't put up with the irreverant use of his name.
8Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Work six days and do everything you need to do. 10But the seventh day is a Sabbath to GOD your God. Don't do any work--not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. 11For in six days GOD made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore GOD blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day.
12Honor your father and mother so that you'll live a long time in the land that GOD your God, is giving you.
13No murder.
14No adultery.
15No stealing.
16No lies about your neighbor.
17No lusting after your neighbor's house--or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that is your neighbor's.
18All the people, experiencing the thunder and lightning, the trumpet blast and the smoking mountain, were afraid--they pulled back and stood at a distance. 19They said to Moses, "You speak to us and we'll listen, but don't have God speak to us or we'll die."
20Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. God has come to test you and instill a deep and reverent awe within you so that you won't sin."
21The people kept their distance while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.
22GOD said to Moses, "Give this Message to the People of Israel: "You've experienced firsthand how I spoke with you from Heaven. 23Don't make gods of silver and gods of gold and then set them alongside me. 24Make me an earthen Altar. Sacrifice your Whole-Burnt-Offerings, your Peace-Offerings, your sheep, and your cattle on it. Every place where I cause my name to be honored in your worship, I'll be there myself and bless you. 25If you use stones to make my Altar, don't use dressed stones. If you use a chisel on the stones you'll profane the Altar. 26Don't use steps to climb to my Altar because that will expose your nakedness.'

DEUTERONOMY 5 (The retelling of the Ten Commandments; note differences)

Moses Teaches Israel on the Plains of Moab
1Moses called all Israel together. He said to them,
Attention, Israel. Listen obediently to the rules and regulations I am delivering to your listening ears today. Learn them. Live them.

2GOD, our God, made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3GOD didn't just make this covenant with our parents; he made it also with us, with all of us who are alive right now. 4GOD spoke to you personally out of the fire on the mountain. 5At the time I stood between GOD and you, to tell you what GOD said. You were afraid, remember, of the fire and wouldn't climb the mountain. He said:
6I am GOD, your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of a house of slaves.
7No other gods, only me.
8No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. 9Don't bow down to them and don't serve them because
I am GOD, your God, and I'm a most jealous God. I hold parents responsible for any sins they pass on to their children to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation. 10But I'm lovingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.
11No using the name of GOD, your God, in curses or silly banter; GOD won't put up with the irreverent use of his name.
12No working on the Sabbath; keep it holy just as GOD, your God, commanded you. 13Work six days, doing everything you have to do, 14but the seventh day is a Sabbath, a Rest Day--no work: not you, your son, your daughter, your servant, your maid, your ox, your donkey (or any of your animals), and not even the foreigner visiting your town. That way your servants and maids will get the same rest as you. 15Don't ever forget that you were slaves in Egypt and GOD, your God, got you out of there in a powerful show of strength. That's why GOD, your God, commands you to observe the day of Sabbath rest.
16Respect your father and mother--GOD, your God, commands it! You'll have a long life; the land that God is giving you will treat you well.
17No murder.
18No adultery.
19No stealing.
20No lies about your neighbor.
21No coveting your neighbor's wife. And no lusting for his house, field, servant, maid, ox, or donkey either--nothing that belongs to your neighbor!
22These are the words that GOD spoke to the whole congregation at the mountain. He spoke in a tremendous voice from the fire and cloud and dark mist. And that was it. No more words. Then he wrote them on two slabs of stone and gave them to me.
23As it turned out, when you heard the Voice out of that dark cloud and saw the mountain on fire, you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your leaders, 24and said,
"Our GOD has revealed to us his glory and greatness. We've heard him speak from the fire today! We've seen that God can speak to humans and they can still live. 25But why risk it further? This huge fire will devour us if we stay around any longer. If we hear GOD's voice anymore, we'll die for sure. 26Has anyone ever known of anyone who has heard the Voice of GOD the way we have and lived to tell the story?
27"From now on, you go and listen to what GOD, our God, says and then tell us what GOD tells you. We'll listen and we'll do it."
28GOD heard what you said to me and told me, "I've heard what the people said to you. They're right--good and true words. 29What I wouldn't give if they'd always feel this way, continuing to revere me and always keep all my commands; they'd have a good life forever, they and their children!
30"Go ahead and tell them to go home to their tents. 31But you, you stay here with me so I can tell you every commandment and all the rules and regulations that you must teach them so they'll know how to live in the land that I'm giving them as their own."
32So be very careful to act exactly as GOD commands you. Don't veer off to the right or the left. 33Walk straight down the road GOD commands so that you'll have a good life and live a long time in the land that you're about to possess.