Exodus 20:4

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:”
King James Version (KJV)

Other Translations of Exodus 20:4

Thou shalt not make vnto thee any grauen Image, or any likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water vnder the earth.
- King James Version (1611) - Compare to scan of original Exodus chapter 20

"You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
- New American Standard Version (1995)

Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness `of any thing' that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
- American Standard Version (1901)

You are not to make an image or picture of anything in heaven or on the earth or in the waters under the earth:
- Basic English Bible

Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, or any form of what is in the heavens above, or what is in the earth beneath, or what is in the waters under the earth:
- Darby Bible

Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth.
- Douay Rheims Bible

Thou shalt not make to thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
- Webster's Bible

You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
- World English Bible

`Thou dost not make to thyself a graven image, or any likeness which [is] in the heavens above, or which [is] in the earth beneath, or which [is] in the waters under the earth.
- Youngs Literal Bible

Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
- Jewish Publication Society Bible

Brian's comment on 2021-01-19 19:06:01:

At Leviticus 22 v 32 - what is God's name?

Lord - is a title very much like Mr and Master and Dr and Sir. These are Titles. Why is that the following Bible's have God's name in the verse and other Bible's omit The Almighty's name.

This in itself is absolutely wrong!

Omitting the Almighty God's name and replacing it with a Title is wrong in every single sense.

Jack Gutknecht's comment on 2021-01-19 11:08:44:

KJV Thou shalt not kill.

AKJ You shall not kill. (Exodus 20:13)

ASV Thou shalt not kill.

BBE Do not put anyone to death without cause.

DRB Thou shalt not kill.

DBY Thou shalt not kill.

ERV Thou shalt do no murder.

WBS Thou shalt not kill.

"Kill thou not out of evil will,

Nor hate, nor render ill for ill;"

--(Martin Luther)

Wenmar's comment on 2020-10-13 05:01:17:

Conchita, I too was raised RC and was practicing until I was 33 years old. When I made the same discovery about the commandments as you have, I made my first step away from the Roman church. They changed the commandments so they can keep their idols and images. Ask yourself...why do you need two commandments for coveting? I am appalled when I think of how they made me worship idols. But praise God for His mercy in forgiveness and praise Him for deliverance from the pagan church!!!

If you took the name Jesus Christ out of catholicism, you would still have the mass, the pope, cardinals, priests, nuns, The "hail Mary" and the rosary, all the many rituals, and their "sacraments"...get the picture?

liana's comment on 2020-07-10 04:57:40:

The Catholic Church System, changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.

God's law never changes that's why it was written on stone. Nowhere in the bible states that God changed his day of rest from Saturday to Sunday. Do some research on the Roman Emperor Constantine. The Seventh Day Adventist Church is the only Christian organization that recognizes and keep Saturday as the Sabbath day, in fulfillment of God's commandments.

Adam's comment on 2020-06-27 08:01:24:

Hello, you're on the right book and chapter. You can see Ex 20:3,4,7 lists the first 3 commandments which occur before keeping the Sabbath. So, you can read it clearly in the chapter and it should answer your question about the order.

D.J.'s comment on 2020-05-26 08:22:12:

Reply to Matther ch. 1

The lineage found in Matthew ch. 1 is the lineage of Joseph, "the husband of Mary" (Matt. 1:16). Joseph's father is "Jacob" (Matt. 1:15, 16). This lineage was established (among other things) to show the regal or king line from which Jesus Christ would come. This line runs from Abraham, through king "Solomon" and ends at Christ, through Joseph, the husband of Mary. The lineage found in Luke ch. 3 is of Mary. The father of Mary was "Heli" (Luke 3:23). Jesus was "as was supposed" (Luke 3:23) the son of Heli, which is a legal term meaning "in-law," or "by-law," i.e., Jesus was the legal son of Joseph through marriage. The lineage which ends at Christ through Mary in Luke 3:23-39 runs, not through Solomon, but his brother "Nathan" (Luke 3:31, 2Sam. 5:13, 14) and brings us all the way back to Almighty God Himself in Luke 3:38. Our Lord and Savior is called the "Son of David" because He was promised to David in (2Sam. 7:12, 16).

peter's comment on 2020-05-25 09:25:13:

I would think that a graven image is bad or can lead us astray and that you should not bow down to them or serve them and that the only image that you worship, bow down to and serve is the image of God.

peter's comment on 2020-05-25 04:18:55:

For anyone who believes that picture of family is a graven image; if and when you are asked to blow down to a graven image; then you would see what a graven image really is; and it would not be just pictures of your family. Pictures are not images. That just confuses people so that they will not know when they need to know.

I would say that we have many images in our minds and the main one would be that of family and God and in fact God should be the main one for many reasons. We are or were in the image of God when God created Adam as Adam was without sin, and he talked and walked with God; but when he sinned; he then had the power to know good and to know evil; and decide what to pick and do and what to do to redeem himself; it talks about the tree of life; Jesus died for our sins and through Him, we are forgiven and I would say we must continue to follow him to be redeemed

peter's comment on 2020-05-25 00:52:34:

Forbids the making of graven images, 2 factors here, graven and images. i know that images are more than pictures; and graven relates to the grave i think but i haven't being able to put it together to clearly understand it;

Chris's comment on 2020-05-08 04:27:18:

Shannon, I think that this verse is meant to show that God forbids the making of any graven image that represents any creature in His creation. If it does mean something specific, as you suggest, there could be some reference to Genesis 8:2: "The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained". And this reference mentions that at the time of Noah's drifting on the flooded Earth, God stopped the rain & the waters that came from below the Earth.

So, if there was some type of body of water under the Earth at that time, there may be some who believed in some 'mythical' creatures also in existence there, & which could be represented as idols on Earth. So God forbad the making of any image, whether real or imaginative. All speculation on my part, of course.

Shannon's comment on 2020-05-07 17:26:03:

Water below the earth sounds like something we have no knowledge of still. He didn't say on the earth, he said below.

Shannon's comment on 2020-05-07 17:21:51:

Does your son still not agree with pictures?

Ambrose Okech's comment on 2015-08-22 04:00:43:

Verse 4 clearly talks about graven images and i'm getting a picture of how God detests such with a passion. Read on its own or in conjunction with other scriptures on graven images, it cannot escape one's notice that they are expressly forbiden. God is a jealous God. So where do catholics get their authority to form graven images and shamelessly place them conspicuously in their places of worship with impunity? Definitely not the bible!

Florence's comment on 2015-08-14 18:22:46:

NEVER WORSHIP GRAVEN IMAGES,THEY ARE JUST MAN MADE,MADE OF WOODS OR STONES FOR GOD IS A SPIRIT,we cannot see HIM but we need to believe HE IS D CREATOR of us all..amen...

Sister Angie's comment on 2015-08-02 21:17:14:

I understand it to include any image of anything in heaven, on earth and inder the earth - this includes pictures, videos, TV, YouTube, Facebook and such things.

Carolyn's comment on 2015-05-11 04:32:31:

My son pointed out that the verse includes likeness separately from graven image and said that it includes photographs so will no longer use a camera. I am here to research this since what he said seems true and yet I do not want to give up pictures that help me remember happy times, like being with my family.

Carolyn's comment on 2015-01-25 16:35:31:

Do you have an inspirational image for Exodus 20:4?

cynthia kelly's comment on 2015-01-23 13:38:40:

First of all if our Father says not to do something you should not.He does not have to ans to you but you ans to him.

Chet's comment on 2014-11-17 20:12:34:

This is the most true but sadly one of the most misinterpret guideline of wisdom. It is really unfortunate for people to think of this as just the shell or surface of the true meaning.

Tina's comment on 2014-10-16 08:26:32:

"Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing ' that is in heaven above "? I do not get this. The Bible would be in the heaven 's above, and it says we can 't have anything in the likeness of the heavens above.

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