This is a new version of an IRR article from 2006. The article has been significantly revised and expanded.

The confession or creed of Judaism in the ancient world and still today is known as the Shema (Hebrew, “Hear”), which begins, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Historically, Jews and Christians have both understood this statement to mean that the Lord who revealed himself to Israel is the only true God.

Numerous biblical passages teach in various ways the existence of only one God—that is, one Creator and Ruler of all things, to whom worship and other forms of religious devotion are exclusively due. While some of those passages might seem ambiguous or unclear on this point, many passages explicitly declare this cardinal truth. Each of the following 28 passages explicitly teaches that there is one—and only one—true and living God. We find these passages making the following statements: 

• There is only one God.
• The LORD alone is God.
• There is no other god or God with him or beside him.
• He is God both in heaven and on earth (i.e., everywhere).
• He is the LORD and God alone because he made all things.
• No one else is God but him.
• There was no God before him and there will be none after him.
• There is not even anyone that is a God like him.
• The LORD is the true God, the living God (in contrast to false or lifeless gods).

The Mormon doctrine of a plurality of Gods (found explicitly in the Book of Abraham 4–5, part of the Pearl of Great Price) contradicts this fundamental biblical teaching.

We use the King James Version (KJV) here because it is the version officially accepted and used in the LDS Church. Please note that the KJV almost always translates the Hebrew name Yahweh (for which the common form in English is Jehovah) as “LORD” spelled with all letters capitalized. Adonai means “Lord” and is translated as such throughout the Old Testament in reference to Yahweh. Elohim, the most common Hebrew word for deity, is translated as “God.” Thus, in Deut. 4:35, for example, the phrase “the LORD he is God,” would be literally translated, “Jehovah, he is Elohim.” (In those instances where Adonai is used as a compound with Jehovah, the latter term is translated in the KJV as GOD, so that the compound name “Lord GOD” represents the Hebrew Adonai Jehovah).

28 Explicit Biblical Passages about One God

1. Deuteronomy 4:35, 39 — Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him. . . . (39) Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

2. Deuteronomy 6:4 — Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD. [See Mark 12:28–34, quoted below.]

3. Deuteronomy 32:39 — See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

4. 2 Samuel 7:22 — Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God; for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. [See the parallel in 1 Chronicles 17:20 quoted below.]

5. 1 Kings 8:60 — That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.

6. 2 Kings 5:15 — And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

7. 2 Kings 19:15, 19 — And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. . . . (19) Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only. [See the parallel in Isaiah 37:16, 20, quoted below.]

8. 1 Chronicles 17:20 — O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. [See the parallel in 2 Samuel 7:22 quoted above.]

9. Nehemiah 9:6 — Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

10. Psalm 18:31 — For who is God save the LORD? Or who is a rock save our God?

11. Psalm 86:10 — For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone.

12. Isaiah 37:16, 20 — And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. . . . (20) Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only. [See the parallel in 2 Kings 19:15, 19, quoted above.]

13. Isaiah 43:10, 11 — Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior.

14. Isaiah 44:6, 8 — Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. . . . (8)Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

15. Isaiah 45:5–6, 14b, 21–22 — I am the LORD, and there is none else, There is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: (6) That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. . . (14) Surely God is in thee; And there is none else, there is no God. . . . (21) Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? Have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me. (22) Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: For I am God, and there is none else.

16. Isaiah 46:9 — Remember the former things of old: For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.

17. Jeremiah 10:6–7, 10–12 — Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. (7) Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. . . . (10) But the LORD is the true God, He is the living God, and an everlasting king: At his wrath the earth shall tremble, And the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. (11) Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. (12) He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

18. Hosea 13:4 — Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me; for there is no savior beside me.

19. Joel 2:27 — And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

20. Zechariah 14:9 — And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

21. Malachi 2:10 — Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?

22. Mark 12:29–34 —And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. [Quoting Deuteronomy 6:4–5, which we quoted above.]

23. Romans 3:30 — Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

24. Galatians 3:20 — Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

25. 1 Timothy 1:17 — Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

26. 1 Timothy 2:5 — For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

27. James 2:19 — Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

28. Jude 25 — Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

“God” and “Lord” in the New Testament

In the New Testament, the name “God” is normally used for the Father while the name “Lord” (representing the Old Testament name Yahweh or Jehovah) is normally used for Jesus Christ. (There are exceptions on both sides; e.g., Jesus is called “God” in John 1:1; 20:28; 1 John 5:20.) In various places, the New Testament makes these distinctions while also making it clear that there is indeed only one Creator and Ruler of all things. Note the following passages:

John 17:3 — And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1 Corinthians 8:4–6 — As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. (5) For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) (6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. [Note the close relationship of this passage to Deuteronomy 6:4, quoted above.]

Ephesians 4:4–6 — There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Additional Resources

Are Jehovah and Elohim Different Gods?

Elohim in Genesis 1: God or Gods?

Was Moses “a god”? Exodus 4:16 and 7:1

The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity, Part I: There Is One God

Joseph Smith and the First Verse of the Bible

The Incarnate Christ and His Critics: A Biblical Defense (book, in our e-store)