Study Desk

"Don't give any of your children to be burned in sacrifice to the god Molech—an act of sheer blasphemy of your God. I am God .

"Don't pollute yourself in any of these ways. This is how the nations became polluted, the ones that I am going to drive out of the land before you. Even the land itself became polluted and I punished it for its iniquities—the land vomited up its inhabitants. You must keep my decrees and laws—natives and foreigners both. You must not do any of these abhorrent things. The people who lived in this land before you arrived did all these things and polluted the land. And if you pollute it, the land will vomit you up just as it vomited up the nations that preceded you.

"Those who do any of these abhorrent things will be cut off from their people. Keep to what I tell you; don't engage in any of the abhorrent acts that were practiced before you came. Don't pollute yourselves with them. I am God , your God."

God spoke to Moses: "Speak to the congregation of Israel. Tell them, Be holy because I, God , your God, am holy.

"Every one of you must respect his mother and father. "Keep my Sabbaths. I am God , your God.

"Don't take up with no-god idols. Don't make gods of cast metal. I am God , your God.

"When you harvest your land, don't harvest right up to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings from the harvest. Don't strip your vineyard bare or go back and pick up the fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am God , your God.

"Don't swear falsely using my name, violating the name of your God. I am God .

"Don't curse the deaf; don't put a stumbling block in front of the blind; fear your God. I am God .

"Don't spread gossip and rumors. "Don't just stand by when your neighbor's life is in danger. I am God .

"Don't seek revenge or carry a grudge against any of your people. "Love your neighbor as yourself. I am God .

"When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, don't eat the fruit for three years; consider it inedible. By the fourth year its fruit is holy, an offering of praise to God . Beginning in the fifth year you can eat its fruit; you'll have richer harvests this way. I am God , your God.

"Don't gash your bodies on behalf of the dead. "Don't tattoo yourselves. I am God .

"Keep my Sabbaths and revere my Sanctuary: I am God .

"Don't dabble in the occult or traffic with mediums; you'll pollute your souls. I am God , your God.

"Show respect to the aged; honor the presence of an elder; fear your God. I am God .

"When a foreigner lives with you in your land, don't take advantage of him. Treat the foreigner the same as a native. Love him like one of your own. Remember that you were once foreigners in Egypt. I am God , your God.

"Don't cheat when measuring length, weight, or quantity. Use honest scales and weights and measures. I am God , your God. I brought you out of Egypt.

"Keep all my decrees and all my laws. Yes, do them. I am God ."

"Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life, because I am God , your God. Do what I tell you; live the way I tell you. I am the God who makes you holy.