Deuteronomy 13:2

Verse

and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,”

American Standard Version (1901)

and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;

Bible in Basic English

And the sign or the wonder takes place, and he says to you, Let us go after other gods, which are strange to you, and give them worship;

Douay-Rheims 1899

And that come to pass which he spoke, and he say to thee: Let us go and follow strange gods, which thou knowest not, and let us serve them:

Free Bible Version

and the sign or wonder does happens. If after that they tell you, “Let's follow other gods that you don't know, and let's worship them,”

Geneva Bible 1599

And the signe and the wonder, which hee hath tolde thee, come to passe) saying, Let vs go after other gods, which thou hast not knowen, and let vs serue them,

King James (Authorized) Version

And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;

One Unity Resource Bible

and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other deities” (which you have not known) “and let us abad ·serve· them;”

Translation for Translators

They will say those things in order to induce/persuade you to worship gods that you have never known about before. But even if what they predict happens,

Unlocked Literal Bible

and if the sign or the wonder comes about, of which he spoke to you and said, 'Let us go after other gods, that you have not known, and let us worship them,'

Noah Webster Bible

And the sign or the wonder shall come to pass, of which he spoke to thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;

World English Bible

and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let’s go after other gods” (which you have not known) “and let’s serve them,”

Young's Literal Translation

and the sign and the wonder hath come which he hath spoken of unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (which thou hast not known), and serve them,

Context

Idolaters to Be Put to Death

¹If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you,²and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,”³you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Summary

In this verse, Moses instructs the Israelites to be cautious of false prophets or dreamers who may perform signs or wonders that seem miraculous. Despite the impressive nature of these signs, if the prophet or dreamer encourages the people to follow other gods, they are to be rejected. This serves as a reminder to remain faithful to the one true God and not be swayed by deceptive displays of power or supernatural occurrences. The emphasis is on discernment and loyalty to God's commandments above all else.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the sign and wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee,.... The sign he promised to give, or the miracle he proposed to do, to show the reality of his mission, and the truth of his doctrine, which is performed, or seemingly performed, by legerdemain, by magic art, or by the help of the devil; which the Lord sometimes suffered for the trial of the faith and obedience of his people, and for the hardening of others in their unbelief, and which issues in their destruction; see Th2 2:9, saying, let us go after other gods (which thou hast not known), and let us serve them; other gods besides the one living and true God, the Creator of all things; strange gods, the idols of the people, as the Targum of Jonathan; such as they had never heard of, nor had any knowledge of, nor any benefit from, as they had of the Lord their God. Now the doctrines of these, and of their worship, are what the false prophet or dreamer is supposed to come with, and inculcate into the minds of the people; and for the confirmation of which, and in order to draw them into the reception of them, and act according to them, he proposed to give a sign or wonder.