Choose Life
Deuteronomy 30
Moses promises that if Israel repents and returns to the Lord with all their heart, even from among the nations of their scattering, the Lord will gather and restore them, and he sets before the people life and death, urging them to choose life by loving and obeying the Lord.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHEREFORE when all these things have come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee; and thou shalt receive them into thy heart, among all the nations where the Lord may have dispersed thee;
BrentonAnd it shall come to pass when all these things shall have come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thy face, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, wherein the Lord shall have scattered thee,
GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ὡς ἂν ἔλθωσιν ἐπὶ σὲ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, ἡ εὐλογία καὶ ἡ κατάρα, ἣν ἔδωκα πρὸ προσώπου σου; καὶ δέξῃ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὗ ἐὰν σε διασκορπίσῃ σε Κύριος ἐκεῖ,
KJVAnd 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,
JPSAnd 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 bethink thyself among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
2
Thomsonand shalt turn to the Lord thy God, and hearken to His voice, according to all that I this day command thee, with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul;
Brentonand shalt return to the Lord thy God, and shalt hearken to his voice, according to all things which I charge thee this day, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul;
Greekκαὶ ἐπιστραφήσῃ ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου, καὶ εἰσακούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου,
KJVAnd 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;
JPSand shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and hearken to His voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul;
3
Thomsonthe Lord will heal thy sins, and have compassion on thee, and gather thee again out of all the nations among which the Lord hath dispersed thee.
Brentonthen the Lord shall heal thine iniquities, and shall pity thee, and shall again gather thee out from all the nations, among which the Lord has scattered thee.
Greekκαὶ ἰάσεται Κύριος τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου, καὶ ἐλεήσει σε, καὶ πάλιν συνάξει σε ἐκ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰς οὓς διεσκόρπισέ σε Κύριος ἐκεῖ.
KJVThat 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.
JPSthat then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the peoples, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
4
ThomsonThough thy dispersion may have been from one end of the earth to the other, thence the Lord thy God will gather thee,
BrentonIf thy dispersion be from one end of heaven to the other, thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and thence will the Lord thy God take thee.
GreekἘὰν ἠ· ἡ διασπορά σου ἀπʼ ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἕως ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἐκεῖθεν συνάξει σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, καὶ ἐκεῖθεν λήψεταί σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου.
KJVIf 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:
JPSIf any of thine that are dispersed be in the uttermost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee.
5
Thomsonand thence the Lord thy God will take thee, and thence thy God will bring thee, into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it: And he will deal kindly with thee, and make thee more numerous than thy fathers:
BrentonAnd the Lord thy God shall bring thee in from thence into the land which thy fathers have inherited, and thou shalt inherit it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
GreekΚαὶ εἰσάξει σε ὁ Θεός σου ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ἐκληρονόμησαν οἱ πατέρες σου, καὶ κληρονομήσεις αὐτήν· καὶ εὖ σε ποιήσει, καὶ πλεοναστόν σε ποιήσει ὑπὲρ τοὺς πατέρας σου.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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
ThomsonAnd the Lord will purify thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, that thou mayst live.
BrentonAnd the Lord shall purge thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
GreekΚαὶ περικαθαριεῖ Κύριος τὴν καρδίαν σου, καὶ τὴν καρδίαν τοῦ σπέρματός σου, ἀγαπᾷν Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου, ἵνα ζῇς σύ.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd the LORD thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
7
ThomsonAnd the Lord thy God will lay all these curses upon thine enemies, and upon them who hate thee, and have persecuted thee.
BrentonAnd the Lord thy God will put these curses upon thine enemies, and upon those that hate thee, who have persecuted thee.
GreekΚαὶ δώσει Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὰς ἀρὰς ταύτας ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε, οἳ ἐδίωξάν σε.
KJVAnd the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
JPSAnd the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, that persecuted thee.
8
ThomsonWhen thou shalt return, and hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and perform these commandments of His, which I this day enjoin thee,
BrentonAnd thou shalt return and hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and shall keep his commands, all that I charge thee this day.
GreekΚαὶ σὺ ἐπιστραφήσῃ καὶ εἰσακούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, καὶ ποιήσεις τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον.
KJVAnd thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
JPSAnd thou shalt return and hearken to the voice of the LORD, and do all His commandments which I command thee this day.
9
Thomsonthe Lord thy God will bless thee in every work of thy hands, in the offspring of thy body, and in the increase of thy cattle, and in the products of thy land; for the Lord thy God will turn again to rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers,
BrentonAnd the Lord thy God shall bless thee in every work of thine hands, in the offspring of thy body, and in the offspring of thy cattle, and in the fruits of thy land, because the Lord thy God will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
GreekΚαὶ εὐλογήσει σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ τῶν χειρῶν σου, ἐν τοῖς ἐκγόνοις τῆς κοιλίας σου, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐκγόνοις τῶν κτηνῶν σου, καὶ ἐν τοῖς γεννήμασι τῆς γῆς σου, ὅτι ἐπιστρέψει Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου εὐφρανθῆναὶ ἐπὶ σοὶ εἰς ἀγαθὰ, καθότι εὐφράνθη ἐπὶ τοῖς πατράσι σου·
KJVAnd 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:
JPSAnd the LORD thy God will make thee over-abundant in all the work of thy 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
Thomsonif thou wilt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments, and his rules of rectitude, and these judgments of his which are written in this book of the law—if thou wilt turn to the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul.
Brentonif thou wilt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments, and his ordinances, and his judgments written in the book of this law, if thou turn to the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
GreekἘὰν εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, φυλάσσεσθαι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰς κρίσεις αὐτοῦ τὰς γεγραμμένας ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τούτου· ἐὰν ἐπιστραφῇς ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου.
KJVIf 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.
JPSif thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.
11
ThomsonFor this command which I this day give thee in charge is not grievous, nor is it far from thee.
BrentonFor this command which I give thee this day is not grievous, neither is it far from thee.
GreekὍτι ἡ ἐντολὴ αὕτη ἣν ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, οὐχ ὑπέρογκός ἐστιν, οὐδέ μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐστιν.
KJVFor this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
JPSFor this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off.
12
ThomsonIt is not in heaven above, that thou shouldst say, Who will ascend for us into heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear and do it?
BrentonIt is not in heaven above, as if there were one saying, Who shall go up for us into heaven, and shall take it for us, and we will hear and do it?
GreekΟὐκ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω ἐστὶ, λέγων, τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ λήψεται ἡμῖν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἀκούσαντες αὐτὴν ποιήσομεν;
KJVIt 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?
JPSIt is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: ‘Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’
13
Thomson—
BrentonNeither is it beyond the sea, saying, Who will go over for us to the other side of the sea, and take it for us, and make it audible to us, and we will do it?
GreekΟὐδὲ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης ἐστί, λέγων, τίς διαπεράσει ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ λάβῃ ἡμῖν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἀκουστὴν ἡμῖν ποιήσῃ αὐτὴν, καὶ ποιήσομεν;
KJVNeither 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?
JPSNeither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say: ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’
14
ThomsonThe word is very near thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, and in thy hand, to do it.
BrentonThe word is very near thee, in thy mouth, and in thine heart, and in thine hands to do it.
GreekἘγγύς σου ἐστὶ τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου, καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσί σου ποιεῖν αὐτό.
KJVBut the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
JPSBut the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
15
ThomsonBehold I have this day set before thee Life and Death, Good and Evil.
BrentonBehold, I have set before thee this day life and death, good and evil.
GreekἸδοὺ δέδωκα πρὸ προσώπου σου σήμερον τὴν ζωὴν καὶ τὸν θάνατον, τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ κακόν.
KJVSee, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
JPSSee, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil,
16
ThomsonIf thou wilt hearken to the commandments of the Lord thy God which I this day enjoin thee, to love the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His rules of rectitude, and His judgments, you shall live, and multiply, and the Lord thy God will bless thee in all the land to which thou art going, there to take possession of it.
BrentonIf thou wilt hearken to the commands of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his ordinances, and his judgments; then ye shall live, and shall be many in number, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all the land into which thou goest to inherit it.
GreekἘὰν εἰσακούσῃς τὰς ἐντολὰς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, ἃς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, ἀγαπᾷν Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου, πορεύεσθαι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ φυλάσσεσθαι τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰς κρίσεις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ζήσεσθε, καὶ πολλοὶ ἔσεσθε, καὶ εὐλογήσει σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ, εἰς ἣν εἰσπορεύῃ ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν.
KJVIn 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.
JPSin 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 ordinances; then thou shalt live and multiply, and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess it.
17
ThomsonBut if thy heart turn aside, and thou wilt not hearken, but go astray, and worship other gods, and serve them,
BrentonBut if thy heart change, and thou wilt not hearken, and thou shalt go astray and worship other gods, and serve them,
GreekΚαὶ ἐὰν μεταστῇ ἡ καρδία σου, καὶ μὴ εἰσακούσῃς, καὶ πλανηθεὶς προσκυνήσῃς θεοῖς ἑτέροις καὶ λατρεύσῃς αὐτοῖς,
KJVBut if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
JPSBut if thy heart turn away, and thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
18
ThomsonI announce to thee this day, that you shall surely perish, and shall not prolong your lives in the land, to which you are about to cross the Jordan, to take possession of it.
BrentonI declare to you this day, that ye shall utterly perish, and ye shall by no means live long upon the land, into which ye go over Jordan to inherit it.
Greekἀναγγέλλω σοι σήμερον, ὅτι ἀπωλείᾳ ἀπολεῖσθε, καὶ οὐ μὴ πολυήμεροι γένησθε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἰς ἣν ὑμεῖς διαβαίνετε τὸν Ἰορδάνην ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν.
KJVI 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.
JPSI declare unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish; ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over the Jordan to go in to possess it.
19
ThomsonI call heaven and earth this day to witness against you, that I have set Life and Death, the Blessing and the Curse before you. Choose thou life, that thou and thy seed may live,
BrentonI call both heaven and earth to witness this day against you, I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: choose thou life, that thou and thy seed may live;
GreekΔιαμαρτύρομαι ὑμῖν σήμερον τόν τε οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, τὴν ζωὴν καὶ τὸν θάνατον δέδωκα πρὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν, τὴν εὐλογίαν καὶ τὴν κατάραν· ἔκλεξαι τὴν ζωὴν σὺ, ἵνα ζήσῃς σὺ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα σου,
KJVI 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:
JPSI call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed;
20
Thomsonby loving the Lord thy God, and hearkening to His voice, and cleaving to Him. For this is thy life, and the lengthening of thy days, to dwell in the land which the Lord solemnly promised thy fathers, Abraham, and Isaak, and Jacob, that He would give them.
Brentonto love the Lord thy God, to hearken to his voice, and cleave to him; for this is thy life, and the length of thy days, that thou shouldest dwell upon the land, which the Lord sware to thy fathers, Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them.
Greekἀγαπᾷν Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου, εἰσακούειν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔχεσθαι αὐτοῦ· ὅτι τοῦτο ἡ ζωή σου καὶ ἡ μακρότης τῶν ἡμερῶν σου, τὸ κατοικεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς ὤμοσε Κύριος τοῖς πατράσι σου Ἁβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς.
KJVThat 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.
JPSto love the LORD thy God, to hearken to His voice, and to cleave unto Him; for that is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.