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Epiphany Season · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany · Year A

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 or Sirach 15:15-20

Choose Life

February 15, 2026

Moses's Testament and Death, Luca Signorelli
Moses's Testament and Death, Luca Signorelli, 1481–82Sistine Chapel, Vatican
On the Sistine wall. Several episodes at once: Moses hands over to Joshua, reads the law to the people, and is shown the land he will not enter.See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. Choose life, so that you and your descendants may live.Luca SignorelliAn Umbrian painter obsessed with the nude figure in violent motion, whose Orvieto frescoes Michelangelo studied closely.Sistine Chapel, VaticanThe pope's chapel, where conclaves are held, decorated by Perugino, Botticelli and Ghirlandaio before Michelangelo was ever asked.Sistine Chapel, Vatican
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelMatt. 5:21-37Mt 5:21-37
Epistle1 Cor. 3:1-91 Cor 3:1-9
Old TestamentDeut. 30:15-20Dt 30:15-20 orSir. 15:15-20Sir 15:15-20
PsalterPs. 119:1-8Ps 119:1-8

Overview & Insights

"I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life." (Deuteronomy 30:19)

As Moses closes his final address to Israel, he sets before the people a stark choice between life and death, obedience and disaster. The choice is framed as a matter of loving the Lord, walking in his ways, and holding fast to him.

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Take it further: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 or Sirach 15:15-20

Commentary

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 CommentariesDt 30:15-20 Commentaries BibleHub

Collects classic commentaries on Moses' closing choice of life and death.

Commentary on Deuteronomy 30:15-20Commentary on Dt 30:15-20 Working Preacher

The RCL preaching commentary on this exact pericope.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 CommentaryDt 30:15-20 Commentary CEP

A preaching-focused reading of the covenant choice set before Israel.

Deuteronomy 30 CommentaryDt 30 Commentary Enduring Word

A pastoral walk through the whole chapter's covenant renewal and choice.

Deuteronomy 30 CommentaryDt 30 Commentary Precept Austin

An evangelical verse-by-verse study of the chapter's call to obedience.

Deuteronomy 30 - Gill's ExpositionDt 30 - Gill's Exposition StudyLight

Gill's older exposition for further historic detail on the passage.

Background & Word Study

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 InterlinearDt 30:15-20 Interlinear BibleHub

Shows the Hebrew text word by word for the life-and-death choice.

Book of Deuteronomy OverviewBook of Dt Overview BibleProject

An animated overview of Deuteronomy's covenant-renewal structure.

Deuteronomy 30 in Hebrew and EnglishDt 30 in Hebrew and English Sefaria

The original Hebrew text alongside an English translation for direct comparison.

The Church Fathers

Deuteronomy 30Dt 30 Catena

Verse-by-verse comment from the Fathers on Deuteronomy 30.

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