Exodus 20

And God spake all these words, saying,

1Then God spoke all these words.

2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

2"I am the LORD your God. I brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves."

3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

3"Do not have any other gods besides me."

4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

4"Do not carve an idol for yourself. Make no statue of anything in the sky, on the land, or in the water."

5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

5"Do not bow down to them or serve them. I am the LORD your God, and I want all your love. When people hate me, I punish their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren for the wrong that was done."

6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

6"But I show love to thousands who love me and do what I say."

7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

7"Do not use the name of the LORD your God in an empty or careless way. The LORD will punish anyone who does."

8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

8"Remember the sabbath day, and keep it special for God. The sabbath is a day of rest."

9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

9"You may work for six days and get all your jobs done."

10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

10"But the seventh day is a rest day for the LORD your God. On that day nobody works. Not you, not your son or daughter, not your servants, not your animals, and not visitors staying in your town."

11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

11"In six days the LORD made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them. On the seventh day he rested. So the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it special."

12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

12"Treat your father and mother with respect. Then you will live a long time in the land the LORD your God is giving you."

13Thou shalt not kill.

13"Do not murder anyone."

NoteThe old English word here is "kill," but the Hebrew word means murder, which is killing someone on purpose and wrongly.

14Thou shalt not commit adultery.

14"If you are married, do not be unfaithful to the person you married."

15Thou shalt not steal.

15"Do not steal."

16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

16"Do not tell lies about other people."

17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

17"Do not keep wishing you had what belongs to someone else. Not their house, not their husband or wife, not their servants, not their ox or their donkey. Do not want anything that is theirs."

18And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

18The people saw the lightning and the smoking mountain. They heard the thunder and the loud horn. They shook with fear and backed away, and they stood far off.

Note"They removed" in old English means they moved away. The "trumpet" was a horn made from a ram's horn, blown very loud.

19And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

19They said to Moses, "You talk to us, and we will listen. But do not let God talk to us, or we will die."

20And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

20Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you. He wants you to respect him, so you will not do wrong."

Note"Prove" in old English means to test, not to prove something true.

21And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

21So the people stayed far away. But Moses walked toward the thick darkness where God was.

22And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

22Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the people of Israel this: You saw for yourselves that I spoke to you from heaven."

23Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

23"Do not make gods of silver or gold to stand beside me."

24An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

24"Build me an altar out of dirt. An altar is a place where gifts are given to God. On it, burn your gifts of sheep and cattle. Everywhere I choose to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you."

25And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

25"If you build me an altar of stone, do not use stones that were cut and shaped. If you use a tool on the stones, the altar is no longer fit for me."

26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

26"Do not climb steps to reach my altar. That way your body will not be uncovered on it."