Deuteronomy 12 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

The LORD’s Chosen Place for Worship

Deu 12:1“These are the decrees and regulations you must be careful to obey when you live in the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must obey them as long as you live.

Deu 12:2

Deu 12:2“When you drive out the nations that live there, you must destroy all the places where they worship their gods—high on the mountains, up on the hills, and under every green tree.

Deu 12:3

Deu 12:3Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods!

Deu 12:4

Deu 12:4“Do not worship the LORD your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods.

Deu 12:5

Deu 12:5Rather, you must seek the LORD your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored.

Deu 12:6

Deu 12:6There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks.

Deu 12:7

Deu 12:7There you and your families will feast in the presence of the LORD your God, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Deu 12:8

Deu 12:8“Your pattern of worship will change. Today all of you are doing as you please,

Deu 12:9

Deu 12:9because you have not yet arrived at the place of rest, the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession.

Deu 12:10

Deu 12:10But you will soon cross the Jordan River and live in the land the LORD your God is giving you. When he gives you rest from all your enemies and you’re living safely in the land,

Deu 12:11

Deu 12:11you must bring everything I command you—your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, and your offerings to fulfill a vow—to the designated place of worship, the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored.

Deu 12:12

Deu 12:12“You must celebrate there in the presence of the LORD your God with your sons and daughters and all your servants. And remember to include the Levites who live in your towns, for they will receive no allotment of land among you.

Deu 12:13

Deu 12:13Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you like.

Deu 12:14

Deu 12:14You may do so only at the place the LORD will choose within one of your tribal territories. There you must offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you.

Deu 12:15

Deu 12:15“But you may butcher your animals and eat their meat in any town whenever you want. You may freely eat the animals with which the LORD your God blesses you. All of you, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you now eat gazelle and deer.

Deu 12:16

Deu 12:16But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.

Deu 12:17

Deu 12:17“But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings.

Deu 12:18

Deu 12:18You must eat these in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose. Eat them there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your towns, celebrating in the presence of the LORD your God in all you do.

Deu 12:19

Deu 12:19And be very careful never to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.

Deu 12:20

Deu 12:20“When the LORD your God expands your territory as he has promised, and you have the urge to eat meat, you may freely eat meat whenever you want.

Deu 12:21

Deu 12:21It might happen that the designated place of worship—the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored—is a long way from your home. If so, you may butcher any of the cattle, sheep, or goats the LORD has given you, and you may freely eat the meat in your hometown, as I have commanded you.

Deu 12:22

Deu 12:22Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you do now with gazelle and deer.

Deu 12:23

Deu 12:23But never consume the blood, for the blood is the life, and you must not consume the lifeblood with the meat.

Deu 12:24

Deu 12:24Instead, pour out the blood on the ground like water.

Deu 12:25

Deu 12:25Do not consume the blood, so that all may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what pleases the LORD.

Deu 12:26

Deu 12:26“Take your sacred gifts and your offerings given to fulfill a vow to the place the LORD chooses.

Deu 12:27

Deu 12:27You must offer the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out on the altar of the LORD your God, but you may eat the meat.

Deu 12:28

Deu 12:28Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the LORD your God.

Deu 12:29

Deu 12:29“When the LORD your God goes ahead of you and destroys the nations and you drive them out and live in their land,

Deu 12:30

Deu 12:30do not fall into the trap of following their customs and worshiping their gods. Do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I want to follow their example.’

Deu 12:31

Deu 12:31You must not worship the LORD your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.

Deu 12:32

Deu 12:32 [fn]“So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.

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NLT Footnotes

(12:32)

Verse 12:32 is numbered 13:1 in Hebrew text.

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