Exodus 20
The full text of Exodus 20 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Hebrew. Free to read.
1 And God spoke all these words:
2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, holding the children accountable for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor the foreigner residing in your towns.
11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
13 "You shall not murder.
14 "You shall not commit adultery.
15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance
19 and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us, or we will die."
20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of him will be with you to keep you from sinning."
21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven.
23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
24 "Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.
25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.
26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your nakedness will be exposed on it.'"
Translation notes (9)
- Exodus 20:2a Different traditions number the Ten Commandments in various ways. Jewish tradition treats this verse (God's self-declaration) as the first 'word.' Most Reformed and Eastern Orthodox traditions count verse 3 as the first commandment and verses 4–6 as the second, while Roman Catholic and Lutheran traditions combine verses 3–6 into one and split verse 17 into two. The biblical text itself does not number them; this translation presents the words as they stand without imposing a scheme.
- Exodus 20:3a The Hebrew phrase 'al panay, translated as 'before me,' can also mean 'besides me,' 'in addition to me,' or 'in my presence / to my face.' This phrase forbids placing any other god alongside or in defiance of the LORD.
- Exodus 20:5a The Hebrew word 'qanna',' translated as 'jealous,' can also be rendered 'impassioned' or 'zealous'; it refers to the LORD's exclusive, passionate claim on his people, not petty envy. The clause 'holding the children accountable for the sin of the parents' (literally 'visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons') is understood by some as inherited consequence and by others as the persistence of sin when children continue in their parents' hatred of God. The Hebrew text does not resolve this debate, and Ezekiel 18 and Deuteronomy 24:16 are often read alongside it.
- Exodus 20:6a The Hebrew word 'la-alafim,' translated as 'to a thousand generations,' literally means 'to thousands.' In contrast to 'the third and fourth generation' in verse 5, this phrase likely means a thousand generations, emphasizing the vast difference between judgment and mercy.
- Exodus 20:7a The Hebrew phrase 'tissa'... la-shav',' translated as 'misuse,' literally means 'lift up / carry the name for emptiness.' It refers to swearing falsely by God's name, invoking it for worthless purposes, and treating it as empty. Older translations render this as 'take... in vain.'
- Exodus 20:13a The Hebrew verb 'ratsach' refers to unlawful killing, including murder and, in some texts, manslaughter, but it is not the usual word for killing in war or judicial execution. The translation 'murder' reflects the prohibition's focus on the wrongful taking of life; older translations render it 'kill.' The precise meaning of 'ratsach' is still debated.
- Exodus 20:17a The Hebrew word 'chamad,' translated as 'covet,' describes a range of actions from inward craving to actively scheming to take something; the command addresses the desire itself, not only the outward act. Some traditions count the coveting of the house and the coveting of the wife as two separate commandments.
- Exodus 20:18a The Hebrew text literally says the people 'saw the sounds,' which is a deliberate blending of the senses that conveys the overwhelming power of God's appearance (a theophany).
- Exodus 20:24a The Hebrew word 'shelamim' is translated as 'fellowship offerings,' and these are also called 'peace offerings' or 'well-being offerings.'
About this translation
The Trinity Bible Version (TBV) is a new translation of the Bible prepared by Trinity Bible AI — rendered from the original Hebrew and faithful to the earliest and most reliable manuscripts. Finished in 2026, it is the most modern English Bible translation you can read today, and it is available only through Trinity Bible. All 66 books, including Exodus, are free to read on this site.
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