‘Listen, Israel: Yahweh our God is the one, the only Yahweh. You must love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let the words I enjoin on you today stay in your heart. You shall tell them to your children, and keep on telling them, when you are sitting at home, when you are out and about, when you are lying down and when you are standing up; you must fasten them on your hand as a sign and on your forehead as a headband; you must write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

‘When Yahweh has brought you into the country which he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that he would give you, with great and prosperous cities you have not built, with houses full of good things you have not provided, with wells you have not dug, with vineyards and olive trees you have not planted, and then, when you have eaten as much as you want, be careful you do not forget Yahweh who has brought you out of Egypt, out of the place of slave-labour. Yahweh your God is the one you must fear, him alone you must serve, his is the name by which you must swear.

‘Do not follow other gods, gods of the peoples round you, for Yahweh your God among you is a jealous God; the wrath of Yahweh your God would blaze out against you, and he would wipe you off the face of the earth. Do not put Yahweh your God to the test as you tested him at Massah. Keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and his instructions and laws which he has laid down for you, and do what Yahweh regards as right and good, so that you may prosper and take possession of the fine country which Yahweh swore to give your ancestors, driving out your enemies before you; such was Yahweh’s promise.

‘In times to come, when your child asks you, “What is the meaning of these instructions, laws and customs which Yahweh our God has laid down for you?” you are to tell your child, “Once we were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, and Yahweh brought us out of Egypt by his mighty hand. Before our eyes, Yahweh worked great and terrible signs and wonders against Egypt, against Pharaoh and his entire household. And he brought us out of there, to lead us into the country which he had sworn to our ancestors that he would give us. And Yahweh has commanded us to observe all these laws and to fear Yahweh our God, so as to be happy for ever and to survive, as we do to this day. For us, right living will mean this: to keep and observe all these commandments in obedience to Yahweh our God, as he has commanded us.”’

Deuteronomy 6:4-25 (New Jerusalem Bible)

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