Deuteronomy 13
1 “Keep every word I command you and put it into practice; do not add anything to it or take anything away from it.
2 A prophet or a dreamer may arise among you and give you a sign or a wonder.
3 The sign or wonder he told you about may come to pass, and he may say, ‘Let us follow other gods, whom you have not known, and serve them.’
4 Do not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer, because the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul.
5 Follow the LORD your God; fear him, keep his commandments, listen to his voice, serve him, and hold fast to him.
6 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he spoke rebellion against the LORD your God. It was he who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery. The prophet tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you must remove the evil from among you.
7 Your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your friend who is like your own self—any one of them may secretly entice you, saying, ‘Let us serve other gods,’ whom neither you nor your ancestors have known.
8 These are the gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the earth to the other.
9 Do not agree with him or listen to him. Do not look on him with pity, spare him, or shield him.
10 Instead, you must surely put him to death. Your hand must be the first against him to kill him, and then the hand of all the people.”
11 “Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
12 All Israel will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do such an evil thing among you.
13 You may hear that, in one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you to live in,
14 ‘Some worthless men have come out from among you and led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us serve other gods,” whom you have not known.’
15 Then you must investigate, examine, and inquire thoroughly. If it is true, if the matter is confirmed, and this abomination has been done among you,
16 you must surely put the inhabitants of that town to the sword. Devote it to destruction, with everything in it and its livestock; put it all to the sword.
17 Gather all its plunder in the middle of its public square, and burn the town and all its plunder in the fire as a whole offering to the LORD your God. It will remain a heap of ruins forever; it must never be rebuilt.
18 Let nothing devoted to destruction remain in your hand. Then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger, show you compassion, have mercy on you, and increase your numbers, as he swore to your ancestors.
19 Listen to the voice of the LORD your God by keeping all his commandments that I am giving you today, and doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD your God.”
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