Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. New Living Translation “But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the LORD and serve and worship other gods. English Standard Version Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; Berean Standard Bible But be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside to worship and bow down to other gods, King James Bible Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; New King James Version Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, New American Standard Bible Beware that your hearts are not easily deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods, and worship them. NASB 1995 “Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them. NASB 1977 “Beware, lest your hearts be deceived and you turn away and serve other gods and worship them. Legacy Standard Bible Beware lest your hearts be deceived, and you turn away and serve other gods and worship them, Amplified Bible Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away [from the LORD] and serve other gods and worship them, Christian Standard Bible Be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside, serve, and bow in worship to other gods. Holman Christian Standard Bible Be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside, worship, and bow down to other gods. American Standard Version Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; Contemporary English Version But watch out! You will be tempted to turn your backs on the LORD. And if you worship other gods, English Revised Version Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; GOD'S WORD® Translation Be careful, or you'll be tempted to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Good News Translation Do not let yourselves be led away from the LORD to worship and serve other gods. International Standard Version Be careful! Otherwise, your hearts will deceive you and you will turn away to serve other gods and worship them. NET Bible Make sure you do not turn away to serve and worship other gods! New Heart English Bible Be careful, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; Webster's Bible Translation Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside to worship and bow down to other gods, World English Bible Be careful, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn away to serve other gods and worship them; Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionTake heed to yourselves lest your heart be enticed, and you have turned aside, and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them, Young's Literal Translation 'Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be enticed, and ye have turned aside, and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them, Smith's Literal Translation Watch ye to yourselves, lest your heart shall be enticed, and ye turn aside and serve other gods, and worship to them: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBeware lest perhaps your heart be deceived, and you depart from the Lord, and serve strange gods, and adore them: Catholic Public Domain Version Be careful, lest perhaps your heart may be deceived, and you might withdraw from the Lord, and serve strange gods, and adore them. New American Bible But be careful lest your heart be so lured away that you serve other gods and bow down to them. New Revised Standard Version Take care, or you will be seduced into turning away, serving other gods and worshiping them, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTake heed to yourselves, lest your heart be enticed, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Beware lest your heart will be enticed and you will turn away and you will serve other gods and you will worship them; OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; Brenton Septuagint Translation take heed to thyself that thy heart be not puffed up, and ye transgress, and serve other gods, and worship them: Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context God's Great Blessings…15And I will provide grass in the fields for your livestock, and you will eat and be satisfied. 16But be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside to worship and bow down to other gods, 17or the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you. He will shut the heavens so that there will be no rain, nor will the land yield its produce, and you will soon perish from the good land that the LORD is giving you.… Cross References Exodus 20:3-5 You shall have no other gods before Me. / You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. / You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, Joshua 23:12-13 For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them, / know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you. 1 Kings 11:4 For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been. Jeremiah 25:6 Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’ 2 Chronicles 7:19-20 But if you turn away and forsake the statutes and commandments I have set before you, and if you go off to serve and worship other gods, / then I will uproot Israel from the soil I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. I will make it an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples. Hosea 4:12 My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God. 1 Samuel 12:21 Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty. Jeremiah 13:10 These evil people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who go after other gods to serve and worship them, they will be like this loincloth—of no use at all. 2 Kings 17:15 They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. Psalm 106:36-39 They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. / They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. / They shed innocent blood—the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. ... Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Romans 1:21-23 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. Galatians 4:8-9 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. / But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Treasury of Scripture Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; Take heed Deuteronomy 4:9,23 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; … Luke 21:8,34,36 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them… Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. your heart Deuteronomy 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; Job 31:27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: and serve Deuteronomy 8:19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. Deuteronomy 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; Jump to Previous Beware Bow Bowed Care Careful Deceived Enticed Heart Hearts Heed Servants Serve Served Turn Turned Ways Worship Worshippers YourselvesJump to Next Beware Bow Bowed Care Careful Deceived Enticed Heart Hearts Heed Servants Serve Served Turn Turned Ways Worship Worshippers YourselvesDeuteronomy 11 1. Another exhortation to obedience2. by their own experience of God's great works 8. by promise of God's great blessings 16. and by threatenings 18. A careful study is required in God's words 26. The blessing and curse set before them But be careful This phrase serves as a warning and a call to vigilance. In the context of Deuteronomy, Moses is addressing the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The cautionary tone reflects the constant threat of idolatry and the need for spiritual alertness. The Hebrew word for "be careful" implies a diligent guarding of one's heart and actions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining faithfulness to God. that you are not enticed to turn aside to worship and bow down to other gods Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's laws and instructions to the Israelites. 2. Israelites The chosen people of God, receiving the commandments as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. 3. Promised Land The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 4. Other gods Refers to the false deities worshiped by the surrounding nations, which the Israelites are warned against. 5. Canaanite Culture The prevailing culture in the Promised Land, known for its idolatry and practices contrary to God's commands. Teaching Points Guard Your HeartThe Hebrew word for "enticed" (nasha) implies being deceived or led astray. Believers must vigilantly guard their hearts against influences that draw them away from God. The Danger of Idolatry Idolatry is not just the worship of physical idols but can include anything that takes precedence over God in our lives, such as money, power, or relationships. Faithfulness to God The call to remain faithful to God is a central theme throughout Scripture. Our relationship with God should be exclusive and undivided. Cultural Influence Just as the Israelites were warned about the influence of Canaanite culture, Christians today must be aware of cultural pressures that conflict with biblical values. Repentance and Return If we find ourselves enticed and led astray, Scripture encourages us to repent and return to God, who is gracious and forgiving. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 11:16?2. How can we guard our hearts against being "enticed to turn aside"? 3. What are the consequences of serving "other gods" according to Deuteronomy 11:16? 4. How does Deuteronomy 11:16 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? 5. In what ways can we ensure our worship remains solely focused on God? 6. How can Deuteronomy 11:16 guide us in resisting modern-day idols? 7. What does Deuteronomy 11:16 warn about turning away from God? 8. How does Deuteronomy 11:16 relate to idolatry in today's world? 9. What historical context influenced the warning in Deuteronomy 11:16? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 11? 11. How does the Bible warn against deception? 12. What constitutes marriage fraud? 13. How can Deuteronomy 7:16’s promise of victory over enemies be reconciled with records of Israel’s military setbacks in other biblical accounts? 14. Why does Deuteronomy 7:5 require the destruction of religious objects, and is there any historical proof that such widespread destruction occurred? What Does Deuteronomy 11:16 Mean But be careful“Be careful” carries the idea of deliberate vigilance. Moses reminds Israel that walking with the LORD is not automatic; it calls for watchfulness. • Deuteronomy 4:9 urges, “Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves.” • Proverbs 4:23 adds, “Guard your heart with all diligence.” • 1 Corinthians 10:12 echoes, “So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.” Alertness protects a heart already redeemed but still vulnerable to drifting. that you are not enticed “Enticed” hints at subtle attraction rather than open rebellion. The danger starts with desire, then rationalization. • James 1:14 describes how “each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.” • Proverbs 1:10 warns, “If sinners entice you, do not yield.” • 2 Corinthians 11:3 recalls Eve, “deceived by the serpent’s cunning,” showing how easily minds can be led astray from “simple devotion to Christ.” The pull is often appealing—promising relief, excitement, or acceptance—so discernment is vital. to turn aside Turning aside means changing direction, abandoning the straight path God has laid out. It may start small, but it changes the destination. • Deuteronomy 5:32 commands, “You shall not turn aside to the right or to the left.” • Joshua 23:6–8 urges Israel to cling to the LORD and not “turn aside to the right or to the left to go after other gods.” • Hebrews 12:1–2 calls believers to “run with endurance the race set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,” keeping forward momentum instead of drifting. Spiritual course corrections must happen quickly, before detours become dead ends. to worship and bow down Worship is the issue at the heart of every temptation. Bowing is more than posture; it signals allegiance. • Exodus 20:4–5 forbids making an idol or bowing to it, grounding the first commandments in proper worship. • Matthew 4:9–10 shows Satan offering Jesus the world if He would “fall down and worship”; Jesus replies, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” • Romans 12:1 urges offering our bodies “as a living sacrifice,” anchoring worship in daily obedience. The body follows the heart: what we admire, we soon serve. to other gods “Other gods” includes any rival to the LORD’s exclusive claim—whether carved idols, cultural agendas, or personal ambitions. • Deuteronomy 6:14–15 warns that following other gods provokes the LORD’s jealousy. • 1 Kings 11:4 records Solomon’s heart turning after “other gods,” illustrating how prosperity can mask idolatry. • 1 John 5:21 pleads, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols,” because anything that rules the heart becomes a false deity. Idolatry is not merely ancient superstition; it is the timeless temptation to place anything above God. summary Deuteronomy 11:16 presses believers to guard their hearts. Stay alert, resist subtle enticements, refuse even small deviations, reserve worship for God alone, and identify every rival deity for what it is—an idol. Faithfulness is cultivated moment by moment through conscious devotion to the LORD who alone is worthy of all worship and allegiance. (16) Take heed to yourselves--i.e., when you are satisfied. (Comp. Deuteronomy 8:10-11.)Verse 16. - That your heart be not deceived; literally, lest your heart be enticed or seduced (יִפְתָה). The verb means primarily to be open, and as a mind open to impressions from without is easily persuaded, moved either to good or evil, the word came to signify to induce in a good sense, or to seduce in a bad sense. Here the people are cautioned against allowing themselves to be enticed so as to be led astray by seductive representations (cf. Job 31:27; Proverbs 20:19 ["flattereth"]; Job 5:2 ["silly one"]; Hosea 7:11).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew But be carefulהִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ (hiš·šā·mə·rū) Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to that you are not פֶּ֥ן (pen) Conjunction Strong's 6435: Removal, lest enticed יִפְתֶּ֖ה (yip̄·teh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6601: To open, be, roomy, to be, simple, delude to turn aside וְסַרְתֶּ֗ם (wə·sar·tem) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 5493: To turn aside to worship וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ (wa·‘ă·ḇaḏ·tem) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave and bow down וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם (wə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wî·ṯem) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate to other אֲחֵרִ֔ים (’ă·ḥê·rîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other gods, אֱלֹהִ֣ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative Links Deuteronomy 11:16 NIVDeuteronomy 11:16 NLT Deuteronomy 11:16 ESV Deuteronomy 11:16 NASB Deuteronomy 11:16 KJV Deuteronomy 11:16 BibleApps.com Deuteronomy 11:16 Biblia Paralela Deuteronomy 11:16 Chinese Bible Deuteronomy 11:16 French Bible Deuteronomy 11:16 Catholic Bible OT Law: Deuteronomy 11:16 Take heed to yourselves lest your heart (Deut. De Du) |