20 “Anyone who sacrifices to a god other than God alone must be put to death.

21 “Don’t abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.

22-24 “Don’t mistreat widows or orphans. If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure I’ll take them most seriously; I’ll show my anger and come raging among you with the sword, and your wives will end up widows and your children orphans.

25 “If you lend money to my people, to any of the down-and-out among you, don’t come down hard on them and gouge them with interest.

26-27 “If you take your neighbor’s coat as security, give it back before nightfall; it may be your neighbor’s only covering—what else does the person have to sleep in? And if I hear the neighbor crying out from the cold, I’ll step in—I’m compassionate.

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20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god(A) other than the Lord must be destroyed.[a](B)

21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,(C) for you were foreigners(D) in Egypt.

22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.(E) 23 If you do and they cry out(F) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.(G) 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.(H)

25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.(I) 26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,(J) return it by sunset,

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.