Old Testament

The Book of Deuteronomy

The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 34 chapters and 959 verses.

About Deuteronomy · Covenant sermons

Deuteronomy presents itself as Moses' farewell speeches on the border of the promised land, restating the law for the children of the people who left Egypt. Its final form came later, in the voice of that tradition, and it was written for a generation that had not seen the miracles: hear, remember, choose. More than any other book of the law it speaks to the heart, insisting that love of God is the point of every commandment. Jesus quoted it in the desert three times, and drew from it what he called the greatest commandment.

Deuteronomy in Bless
Testament	Old Testament — book 5 of 46, 5 of 73 in the Bible
Canon	Protocanonical (in every Christian canon)
Chapters	34
Verses	959, as Bless numbers them
Latin	Clementine Vulgate, every chapter
Bp. Challoner	Summaries of all 34 chapters · 37 notes
Catechism	32 paragraphs cite it

Chapter by chapter

All 34 chapters, in brief.

Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.

Deuteronomy 1
46 verses
A repetition of what passed at Sinai and Cadesbarne: and of the people's murmuring and their punishment.
Deuteronomy 2
37 verses
They are forbid to fight against the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites. Their victory over Sehon king of Hesebon.
Deuteronomy 3
29 verses
The victory over Og king of Basan. Ruben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasses receive their possession on the other side of Jordan.
Deuteronomy 4
49 verses
Moses exhorteth the people to keep God's commandments: particularly to fly idolatry. Appointeth three cities of refuge, on that side of the Jordan.
Deuteronomy 5
33 verses
The ten commandments are repeated and explained.
Deuteronomy 6
25 verses
An exhortation to the love of God, and obedience to his law.
Deuteronomy 7
26 verses
No league nor fellowship to be made with the Chanaanites: God promiseth his people his blessing and assistance, if they keep his commandments.
Deuteronomy 8
20 verses
The people is put in mind of God's dealings with them, to the end that they may love him and serve him.
Deuteronomy 9
29 verses
Lest they should impute their victories to their own merits, they are put in mind of their manifold rebellions and other sins, for which they should have been destroyed, but God spared them for his promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Deuteronomy 10
22 verses
God giveth the second tables of the law: a further exhortation to fear and serve the Lord.
Deuteronomy 11
32 verses
The love and service of God are still inculcated, with a blessing to them that serve him, and threats of punishment if they forsake his law.
Deuteronomy 12
32 verses
All idolatry must be extirpated: sacrifices, tithes, and firstfruits must be offered in one only place: all eating of blood is prohibited.
Deuteronomy 13
18 verses
False prophets must be slain, and idolatrous cities destroyed.
Deuteronomy 14
29 verses
In mourning for the dead they are not to follow the ways of the Gentiles: the distinction of clean and unclean meats: ordinances concerning tithes, and firstfruits.
Deuteronomy 15
23 verses
The law of the seventh year of remission. The firstlings of cattle are to be sanctified to the Lord.
Deuteronomy 16
22 verses
The three principal solemnities to be observed: just judges to be appointed in every city: all occasions of idolatry to be avoided.
Deuteronomy 17
20 verses
Victims must be without blemish. Idolaters are to be slain. Controversies are to be decided by the high priest and council, whose sentence must be obeyed under pain of death. The duty of a king, who is to receive the law of God at the priest's hands.
Deuteronomy 18
22 verses
The Lord is the inheritance of the priests and Levites. Heathenish abominations are to be avoided. The great PROPHET CHRIST is promised. False prophets must be slain.
Deuteronomy 19
21 verses
The cities of refuge. Wilful murder, and false witnesses must be punished.
Deuteronomy 20
20 verses
Laws relating to war.
Deuteronomy 21
23 verses
The expiation of a secret murder. The marrying a captive. The eldest son must not be deprived of his birthright for hatred of his mother. A stubborn son is to be stoned to death. When one is hanged on a gibbet, he must be taken down the same day and buried.
Deuteronomy 22
30 verses
Humanity towards neighbours. Neither sex may use the apparel of the other. Cruelty to be avoided even to birds. Battlements about the roof of a house. Things of divers kinds not to be mixed. The punishment of him that slandereth his wife, as also of adultery and rape.
Deuteronomy 23
25 verses
Who may and who may not enter into the church: uncleanness to be avoided: other precepts concerning fugitives, fornication, usury, vows, and eating other men's grapes and corn.
Deuteronomy 24
22 verses
Divorce permitted to avoid greater evil: the newly married must not go to war: of men stealers, of leprosy, of pledges, of labourers' hire, of justice, and of charity to the poor.
Deuteronomy 25
19 verses
Stripes must not exceed forty. The ox is not to be muzzled. Of raising seed to the brother. Of the immodest woman. Of unjust weight. Of destroying the Amalecites.
Deuteronomy 26
19 verses
The form of words with which the firstfruits and tithes are to be offered. God's covenant.
Deuteronomy 27
26 verses
The commandments must be written on stones: and an altar erected, and sacrifices offered. The observers of the commandments are to be blessed, and the transgressors cursed.
Deuteronomy 28
68 verses
Many blessings are promised to observers of God's commandments: and curses threatened to transgressors.
Deuteronomy 29
29 verses
The covenant is solemnly confirmed between God and his people. Threats against those that shall break it.
Deuteronomy 30
20 verses
Great mercies are promised to the penitent: God's commandment is feasible. Life and death are set before them.
Deuteronomy 31
30 verses
Moses encourageth the people, and Josue, who is appointed to succeed him. He delivereth the law to the priests. God foretelleth that the people will often forsake him, and that he will punish them. He commandeth Moses to write a canticle, as a constant remembrancer of the law.
Deuteronomy 32
52 verses
A canticle for the remembrance of the law. Moses is commanded to go up into a mountain, from whence he shall see the promised land but not enter into it.
Deuteronomy 33
29 verses
Moses before his death blesseth the tribes of Israel.
Deuteronomy 34
12 verses
Moses seeth the promised land, but is not suffered to go into it. He dieth at the age of 120 years. God burieth his body secretly, and all Israel mourn for him thirty days. Josue, replenished (by imposition of Moses's hands) with the spirit of God, succeedeth. But Moses, for his special familiarity with God, and for most wonderful miracles, is commended above all other prophets.

Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries

In the comments

What the saints said.

1 quotation from 1 saint linked to passages of Deuteronomy in Bless. Each names the work it comes from.

St. John Vianney · on Deuteronomy 6:5

On this theme

Man has a beautiful office, that of praying and loving. You pray, you love: that is the happiness of man on earth.

Sermon on Love of God, c. 1850

Coming up

Read at Mass.

From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Deuteronomy is read at the principal Mass on 9 days in the US calendar. The next 8 readings:

Date	Celebration	Reading	Citation
Sun, Jan 31, 2027	Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Thu, Feb 11, 2027	Thursday after Ash Wednesday	First Reading	Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Sat, Feb 20, 2027	Saturday of the First Week of Lent	First Reading	Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Wed, Mar 3, 2027	Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent	First Reading	Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
Sun, May 23, 2027	The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity	First Reading	Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40
Sat, Aug 7, 2027 computed	Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Deuteronomy 6:4-13
Mon, Aug 9, 2027 computed	Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Wed, Aug 11, 2027 computed	St. Clare, Virgin	First Reading	Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Sun, Aug 29, 2027 computed	Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Sun, Oct 31, 2027 computed	Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Deuteronomy 6:2-6
Thu, Mar 2, 2028 computed	Thursday after Ash Wednesday	First Reading	Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Sun, Mar 5, 2028 computed	First Sunday of Lent	First Reading	Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Sat, Mar 11, 2028 computed	Saturday of the First Week of Lent	First Reading	Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Wed, Mar 22, 2028 computed	Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent	First Reading	Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
Sun, Jul 16, 2028 computed	Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Mon, Jul 31, 2028 computed	St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest	Responsorial Psalm	Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21
Fri, Aug 11, 2028 computed	St. Clare, Virgin	Responsorial Psalm	Deuteronomy 32:35cd-36ab, 39abcd, 41
Mon, Aug 21, 2028 computed	St. Pius X, Pope	Responsorial Psalm	Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21
Tue, Aug 22, 2028 computed	Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary	Responsorial Psalm	Deuteronomy 32:26-27ab, 27cd-28, 30, 35cd-36ab

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.