Deuteronomy 23:23
New International Version
Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

New Living Translation
But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the LORD your God.

English Standard Version
You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.

Berean Standard Bible
Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

King James Bible
That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

New King James Version
That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.

New American Standard Bible
You shall be careful and perform what goes out of your lips, since in fact you have vowed a voluntary offering to the LORD your God, whatever you have promised.

NASB 1995
“You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised.

NASB 1977
“You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall be careful and do what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to Yahweh your God that which you spoke with your mouth.

Amplified Bible
You shall be careful to perform that [vow] which passes your lips, just as you have made a voluntary vow to the LORD your God, just as you have promised with your own words (mouth).

Christian Standard Bible
Be careful to do whatever comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed what you promised to the LORD your God.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Be careful to do whatever comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed what you promised to the LORD your God.”

American Standard Version
That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt observe and do; according as thou hast vowed unto Jehovah thy God, a freewill-offering, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

Contemporary English Version
You must keep whatever promises you make to the LORD. After all, you are the one who chose to make the promises.

English Revised Version
That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt observe and do; according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, a freewill offering, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Make sure you do what you said you would do [in your vow]. You freely chose to make your vow to the LORD your God.

Good News Translation
but if you make one voluntarily, be sure that you keep it.

International Standard Version
Be sure you do whatever you promise, because you have given your word voluntarily to the LORD your God.

Majority Standard Bible
Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

NET Bible
Whatever you vow, you must be careful to do what you have promised, such as what you have vowed to the LORD your God as a freewill offering.

New Heart English Bible
That which is gone out of your lips you shall observe and do; according as you have vowed to the LORD your God, a freewill offering, which you have promised with your mouth.

Webster's Bible Translation
That which is uttered by thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a free-will-offering, according as thou hast vowed to the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

World English Bible
You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to Yahweh your God as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You keep and have done the utterance of your lips, as you have vowed to your God YHWH, a free-will offering which you have spoken with your mouth.

Young's Literal Translation
The produce of thy lips thou dost keep, and hast done it, as thou hast vowed to Jehovah thy God; a free-will-offering, which thou hast spoken with thy mouth.

Smith's Literal Translation
That going out of thy lips, thou shalt watch and do according as thou didst vow to Jehovah thy God; a voluntary gift which thou spakest with thy mouth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But that which is once gone out of thy lips, thou shalt observe, and shalt do as thou hast promised to the Lord thy God, and hast spoken with thy own will and with thy own mouth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But as soon as it has departed from your lips, you shall observe and do just as you have promised to the Lord your God and just as you have spoken by your own free will and with your own mouth.

New American Bible
But whatever your tongue utters you must be careful to do, just as you freely vowed to the LORD, your God, with your own mouth.

New Revised Standard Version
Whatever your lips utter you must diligently perform, just as you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
That which is gone out of your lips you shall keep and perform; just as you have vowed a freewill offering to the LORD your God, which you have promised with your mouth.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Keep anything that proceeds from your lips and perform as you have vowed to LORD JEHOVAH your God the offering that you have spoken with your mouth.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt observe and do; according as thou hast vowed freely unto the LORD thy God, even that which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou shalt observe the words that proceed from between thy lips; and as thou hast vowed a gift to the Lord God, so shalt thou do that which thou hast spoken with thy mouth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Miscellaneous Laws
22But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. 23Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth. 24When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, but you must not put any in your basket.…

Cross References
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. / It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

Numbers 30:2
If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.

Matthew 5:33-37
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ / But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; / or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ...

Psalm 50:14
Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.

James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.

Psalm 76:11
Make and fulfill your vows to the LORD your God; let all the neighboring lands bring tribute to Him who is to be feared.

Proverbs 20:25
It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.

Leviticus 27:2
“Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When someone makes a special vow to the LORD involving the value of persons,

Judges 11:30-31
Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand, / then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

Jonah 2:9
But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!”

Acts 5:1-4
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. / With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet. / Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? ...

1 Samuel 1:11
And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

Genesis 28:20-22
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear, / so that I may return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God. / And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth.”

Psalm 66:13-14
I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You— / the vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke in my distress.

Malachi 1:14
“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.


Treasury of Scripture

That which is gone out of your lips you shall keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as you have vowed to the LORD your God, which you have promised with your mouth.

That which

Numbers 30:2
If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Judges 11:30,31,35
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, …

1 Samuel 1:11
And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head.

has vowed

1 Samuel 14:24
And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

Jeremiah 44:25-27
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows…

Mark 6:22,23
And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee…

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Deuteronomy 23
1. Who may or may not enter into the congregation
9. Uncleanness is to be avoided in the host
15. Of the fugitive servant
17. Of filthiness
18. Of abominable sacrifices
19. Of usury
20. Of vows
24. Of trespass














You are to be careful
This phrase emphasizes the importance of vigilance and mindfulness in one's actions and words. The Hebrew root here is "shamar," which means to guard, keep, or observe. In a historical context, this reflects the ancient Israelite understanding of the covenant relationship with God, where obedience and careful attention to God's commands were paramount. The call to be careful is a reminder of the sacredness of one's commitments, especially those made to God.

to do whatever comes from your lips
The phrase underscores the integrity and accountability expected of believers. The Hebrew word "asah," meaning to do or make, implies action and fulfillment. In the ancient Near Eastern culture, words held significant power and were binding. This reflects a broader biblical principle that one's word is a reflection of one's character and faithfulness. The lips, as instruments of speech, are to be used responsibly, aligning with the truth and promises made before God.

because you have freely vowed
The concept of a vow, or "neder" in Hebrew, is a solemn promise made voluntarily. This phrase highlights the voluntary nature of the commitment, indicating that it was not coerced but given out of one's free will. In the biblical context, vows were serious undertakings that required fulfillment. This reflects the broader scriptural theme of free will and the responsibility that accompanies it, emphasizing that vows to God are not to be taken lightly.

to the LORD your God
This phrase identifies the recipient of the vow as Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. The use of "LORD" in all caps signifies the divine name, Yahweh, which is sacred and denotes a personal relationship with God. The phrase "your God" personalizes this relationship, reminding the Israelites of their unique covenant with God. Historically, this underscores the theocratic nature of Israelite society, where God was the ultimate authority and ruler.

with your own mouth
The emphasis on "your own mouth" highlights personal responsibility and ownership of one's words. The mouth, or "peh" in Hebrew, is the organ of speech, and its use here signifies the personal nature of the vow. In the biblical worldview, the mouth is not just a physical organ but a symbol of one's inner intentions and commitments. This phrase serves as a reminder that what is spoken is a reflection of the heart and must be honored as such.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Be careful
תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר (tiš·mōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

to follow through
וְעָשִׂ֑יתָ (wə·‘ā·śî·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

on what comes
מוֹצָ֥א (mō·w·ṣā)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4161: A place or act of going forth, issue, export, source, spring

from your lips,
שְׂפָתֶ֖יךָ (śə·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - fdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

because
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you have freely
נְדָבָ֔ה (nə·ḏā·ḇāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5071: Spontaneity, spontaneous, a spontaneous, abundant gift

vowed
נָדַ֜רְתָּ (nā·ḏar·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5087: To promise

to the LORD
לַיהוָ֤ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

with your own mouth.
בְּפִֽיךָ׃ (bə·p̄î·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 23:23 That which is gone out of your (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 23:22
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