30 I have told you about the ways that God may bless you and the ways that he may curse you. If you do not obey the Lord your God, he will send you away to live in many foreign countries. When that happens, you will think about what I have said. 2 Then you and your children may decide to turn back to the Lord . You may choose to obey him completely in everything that you think and in everything that you do. That is what I am commanding you to do today. 3 If you do that, the Lord your God will bring you back home and he will forgive you. He will turn to help you again. He will bring you back from the countries where he sent you to live. 4 He will bring back even those of you who live in countries that are very far away. You will all come back to live together again. 5 He will bring you back to the land that belonged to your ancestors. It will belong to you as your home. He will help you even more than he helped your ancestors. He will make you more in number than your ancestors were. 6 The Lord your God will change you so that you want to serve him. He will do that for your descendants too. Then you will love him completely in everything that you think and in everything that you do. You will continue to live in your land.
7 When that happens, the Lord your God will punish your enemies with all these terrible troubles, instead of you. He will punish the people who hate you and do cruel things to you. 8 You will turn back to the Lord . You will obey all his commands that I am giving you today. 9 The Lord your God will cause all your work to go very well. He will give you many children. Your animals will give birth to many babies. Lots of crops will grow in your fields. The Lord will be happy to help you again, as he was happy to help your ancestors. 10 But you must obey his commands and his rules that are written in this book of his Law. You must turn back to him. You must serve him in everything that you think and in everything that you do.
11 The command that I am giving you today is not too difficult for you. It is not too far away from you. 12 God does not keep it in heaven. So you do not have to ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven to find it and bring it down to us? Who will explain it to us so that we can obey it?’
13 It is not far away across the sea. So you do not have to ask, ‘Who will go across the sea to fetch it for us? Who will explain it to us so that we can obey it?’
14 No! God's message is very near to you. It is in your mouth and in your mind. So you must do what it teaches you to do.
15 Look! You must choose between the things that I am offering you today. You may choose to have life and many good things. Or you may choose to have death and many troubles. 16 I am commanding you today to love the Lord your God. Live in a way that pleases him. Obey his commands, his rules and his laws. If you do that, you will live. You will become a nation of many people. The Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are going into as your new home.
17 But you will have trouble if you turn away from God and you do not obey him. If you decide to serve other gods and to worship them, 18 you will certainly come to an end. After you go across the Jordan River, you will not live very long in that land. That is what I am telling you today.
19 Today, I want the sky and the earth to hear what I have said to you. I have told you what you may choose. You may choose life or death. You may choose the Lord to bless you or to curse you. Choose life today, so that you and your descendants will live! 20 Yes, love the Lord your God. Obey him and serve him faithfully. He is the one who gives you life. He will let you live for a long time in the land that he is giving to you. That is the land that he promised to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
30 “Everything that I have mentioned will happen to you—both the blessings and the curses. And you will remember these words when the Lord your God sends you away to other nations. 2 Then you and your descendants will turn back to the Lord your God. You will follow him with all your heart and completely obey all his commands that I have given you today. 3 Then the Lord your God will be kind to you. The Lord your God will make you free again! He will bring you back from the nations where he sent you. 4 Even if you were sent to the farthest parts of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you from there and bring you back. 5 The Lord your God will bring you into the land your ancestors had, and the land will become yours. He will do good to you, and you will have more than your ancestors had. You will have more people in your nation than they ever had. 6 The Lord your God will make you and your descendants want to obey him. [ a ] Then you will love the Lord your God with all your heart. And you will live!
7 “Then the Lord your God will make all these bad things happen to your enemies, who hate you and cause you trouble. 8 And you will again obey the Lord . You will obey all his commands that I give you today. 9 The Lord your God will make you successful in everything you do. He will bless you with many children. He will bless your cows—they will have many calves. He will bless your fields—they will grow many good crops. He will be good to you. The Lord will again enjoy doing good for you, the same as he enjoyed doing good for your ancestors. 10 But you must do what the Lord your God tells you to do. You must obey his commands and follow the rules that are written in this Book of Teachings . You must obey the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Then these good things will happen to you.
11 “This command that I give you today is not too hard for you. It is not a secret hidden in some far away land. 12 This command is not in heaven so that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it to us, so that we can hear and do it?’ 13 This command is not on the other side of the sea so that you should say, ‘Who will go across the sea for us and bring it to us, so that we can hear it and do it?’ 14 No, the word is very near to you. It is in your mouth and in your heart. So you can obey it.
15 “Today I have given you a choice between life and death, success and disaster. [ b ] 16 I command you today to love the Lord your God. I command you to follow him and to obey his commands, laws, and rules. Then you will live, and your nation will grow larger. And the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take for your own. 17 But if you turn away from your God and refuse to listen, if you are led away to worship and serve other gods, 18 you will be destroyed. I am warning you today, if you turn away from God, you will not live long in that land across the Jordan River that you are ready to enter and take for your own.
19 “Today I am giving you a choice of two ways. And I ask heaven and earth to be witnesses of your choice. You can choose life or death. The first choice will bring a blessing. The other choice will bring a curse. So choose life! Then you and your children will live. 20 You must love the Lord your God and obey him. Never leave him, because he is your life. And he will give you a long life in the land that he, the Lord , promised to give to your ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
30 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee,
2 And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
3 That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee.
4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
5 And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
7 And the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord , and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
9 And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
16 In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
30 “So it will be when all of these things have come upon you, ( A ) the blessing and the curse which I have placed before you, and you [ a ] call them to mind ( B ) in all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you, 2 and you ( C ) return to the Lord your God and [ b ] obey Him ( D ) with all your heart and soul in accordance with everything that I am commanding you today, you and your sons, 3 then the Lord your God will ( E ) restore [ c ] you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and ( F ) will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has ( G ) scattered you. 4 If any of your scattered countrymen are at the [ d ] ends of the earth, ( H ) from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will [ e ] bring you back. 5 ( I ) The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will be good to you and ( J ) make you more numerous than your fathers.
6 “Moreover, ( K ) the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your [ f ] descendants, ( L ) to love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, so that you may live. 7 ( M ) And the Lord your God will [ g ] inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 And you will again [ h ] obey the Lord , and [ i ] follow all His commandments which I am commanding you today. 9 ( N ) Then the Lord your God will prosper you [ j ] abundantly in every work of your hand, in the [ k ] children of your womb, the [ l ] offspring of your cattle, and in the [ m ] produce of your ground, for ( O ) the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; 10 [ n ] if you [ o ] obey the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which ( P ) are written in this Book of the Law, [ p ] if you turn to the Lord your God ( Q ) with all your heart and soul.
11 “For this commandment which I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away. 12 It is not in heaven, [ q ] that you could say, ‘ ( R ) Who will go up to heaven for us and get it for us, and proclaim it to us, so that we may [ r ] follow it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, [ s ] that you could say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us and get it for us and proclaim it to us, so that we may [ t ] follow it?’ 14 On the contrary, the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may [ u ] follow it.
15 “See, ( S ) I have placed before you today life and [ v ] happiness, and death and [ w ] adversity, 16 in that I am commanding you today ( T ) to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, so that you ( U ) may live and become numerous, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but allow yourself to be led astray and you worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that ( V ) you will certainly perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter [ x ] and take possession of it. 19 ( W ) I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have placed before you life and death, ( X ) the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your [ y ] descendants, 20 ( Y ) by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and ( Z ) by holding close to Him; ( AA ) for [ z ] this is your life and the length of your days, [ aa ] so that you may live in ( AB ) the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
30 When all these blessings and curses ( A ) I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, ( B ) 2 and when you and your children return ( C ) to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart ( D ) and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes [ a ] ( E ) and have compassion ( F ) on you and gather ( G ) you again from all the nations where he scattered ( H ) you. ( I ) 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, ( J ) from there the Lord your God will gather ( K ) you and bring you back. ( L ) 5 He will bring ( M ) you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous ( N ) than your ancestors. 6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, ( O ) so that you may love ( P ) him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. 7 The Lord your God will put all these curses ( Q ) on your enemies who hate and persecute you. ( R ) 8 You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. ( S ) The Lord will again delight ( T ) in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law ( U ) and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ( V )
11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. ( W ) 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven ( X ) to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” ( Y ) 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, ( Z ) so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” ( AA ) 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. ( AB )
15 See, I set before you today life ( AC ) and prosperity, ( AD ) death ( AE ) and destruction. ( AF ) 16 For I command you today to love ( AG ) the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live ( AH ) and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. ( AI ) You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you ( AJ ) that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. ( AK ) Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love ( AL ) the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, ( AM ) and he will give ( AN ) you many years in the land ( AO ) he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
