1If a prophet or someone who claims to dream dreams shows up among you and gives you a sign or a miracle,
2and if the sign or miracle he spoke about comes true, and he says, "Let's go and serve other gods" (gods you have not known),
3you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For Yahweh your God is testing you to see if you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and all your soul.
4You must follow Yahweh your God, respect him, keep his commands, obey him, serve him, and remain loyal to him.
5That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has encouraged rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of Egypt and rescued you from slavery. He tried to turn you away from the path Yahweh your God commanded you to follow. In this way, you must remove evil from among you.
6If your brother (your mother's son), or your son, or your daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your best friend secretly tries to tempt you, saying, "Let's go and serve other gods" (gods you and your ancestors have not known),
7gods of the peoples around you, whether nearby or far away, from one end of the earth to the other,
8you must not agree with him or listen to him. Do not feel pity for him, do not spare him, and do not protect him.
9Instead, you must surely put him to death. Your hand must be the first to kill him, and then the hands of all the people.
10You must stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from Yahweh your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
11All of Israel will hear about it, be afraid, and never again do such wickedness among you.
12If you hear about one of your cities, which Yahweh your God is giving you to live in, that
13wicked people have gone out from among you and led the inhabitants of their city astray, saying, "Let's go and serve other gods" (gods you have not known),
14then you must investigate, search, and inquire diligently. If it is true and confirmed that such a detestable thing has been done among you,
15you must surely attack the inhabitants of that city with your swords, completely destroying it and everything in it, including its livestock, with your swords.
16You must gather all its plunder into the middle of its main street and burn the city with fire, along with all its plunder, as an offering to Yahweh your God. It will remain a ruin forever and will never be rebuilt.
17Do not let any of the devoted things remain in your possession. Then Yahweh will turn from his fierce anger, show you mercy, have compassion on you, and make your numbers grow, as he swore to your ancestors.
18when you obey Yahweh your God and keep all his commands that I am giving you today, doing what is right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.