1. “Don’t tell lies against other people. If you are a witness in court, don’t agree to help a bad person tell lies.
2. “Don’t do something just because everyone else is doing it. If you see a group of people doing wrong, don’t join them. You must not let them persuade you to do wrong things—you must do what is right and fair.
3. “In court, don’t treat a person in a special way simply because that person is poor.
4. “If you see a lost bull or donkey, then you must return it to its owner—even if the owner is your enemy.
5. “If you see an animal that cannot walk because it has too much to carry, you must stop and help that animal. You must help that animal even if it belongs to one of your enemies.
6. “In court, don’t let anyone take advantage of a person simply because that person is poor.
7. “Be very careful if you say that someone is guilty of something. Don’t make false charges against a person. Never allow innocent people to be killed as punishment for something they did not do. Whoever kills an innocent person is evil, and I will not treat a guilty person as innocent.
8. “If someone tries to pay you to agree with them when they are wrong, don’t accept that payment. A payment like that can blind judges so that they cannot see the truth. It can make good people tell lies.
9. “You must never do wrong things to a foreigner. Remember, you know what it is like to be a foreigner because at one time you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
10. “Plant seeds, harvest your crops, and work the ground for six years.
11. But the seventh year must be a special time of rest for the land. Don’t plant anything in your fields. If any crops grow there, allow the poor to have it. And allow the wild animals to eat the food that is left. You should do the same with your vineyards and with your fields of olive trees.
12. “Work for six days, but on the seventh day, rest! This will allow your slaves and other workers a time to rest and relax. And your bulls and donkeys will also have a time of rest.
13. “Be sure that you obey all these laws. Don’t worship false gods. You should not even speak their names!
14. “You will have three special festivals each year. You must come to my special place to worship me during these festivals.
15. The first festival is the Festival of Unleavened Bread. This is as I commanded you. During this time you will eat bread that is made without yeast. This will continue for seven days. You will do this during the month of Abib, because this is the time when you came out of Egypt. Everyone must bring a sacrifice to me at that time.
16. “The second festival will be the Festival of Harvest. This festival will be during the early summer when you begin harvesting the first crops that you planted in your fields. “The third festival will be the Festival of Shelters. This will be in the fall, when you finish gathering the rest of the crops from your fields.
17. “So three times each year all the men will come to the special place to be with the Lord GOD.