Open English Translation DEU Chapter 13

13 If someone among you claims to be a prophet or interpreter of dreams, or able to do miracles, 2 and it seems true, but they use those things to convince you to go after other ‘new’ gods and worship them, 3 then don’t listen to that person, because your god Yahweh is testing you to know whether you love him with sincerity and with your energy. 4 You must conduct your lives as your god Yahweh wants you to. Honour him, and listen to his voice and follow his instructions, and serve him and remain loyal to him. 5 But that prophet or interpreter of dreams must be executed because they’ve incited rebellion against your god Yahweh who brought you all out from slavery in Egypt. Those kinds of people want to drive you away from @Yahweh’s instructions, hence why you must remove that evil from among you.

6 Your brother, son, daughter, beloved wife, or some close friend might privately urge you to worship other gods that you and your ancestors hadn’t heard about before. 7 That might be the gods of the surrounding peoples, either nearby or right across the world. 8 Don’t give in to them, or take notice of them. Don’t even feel sympathy for them or cover up for them, 9 because you’ll definitely need to execute them. You yourself must be the first to take action, followed by the rest of the community. 10 You must execute people like that by throwing rocks at them, because they try to drive you away from your god Yahweh who brought you out of slavery in Egypt. 11 After that, all Yisrael will hear and become afraid of doing such wicked things in the future.

12 If in the future, you hear that in one of the cities that your god Yahweh will give you to live in, 13 some wicked people have enticed those in the city to go and serve other ‘new’ gods, 14 then you must thoroughly investigate the matter. If it’s actually true that that disgusting thing had been done among you, 15 then all the people in that place must be executed by the sword, along with all their livestock. 16 Gather all the people’s possessions and pile them up in the city plaza, then burn the place and everything in it like a ‘burnt offering’ to Yahweh. Leave the place as an abandoned heap—it should never be rebuilt again. 17 Don’t be tempted to pick anything valuable out from the pile headed for destruction, but obey carefully so that Yahweh’s anger will subside. Then he’ll show compassion to you and mercy, and make you increase like he promised to your ancestors 18 when you listen to what he says—following all his instructions and doing what he says is the right thing to do.