The Ten Commandments (Hebrew: עֲשֶׂרֶת הַמִּצְוָה, Aseret ha-Mitsvah), also known as the ten statements, are a set of biblical standards relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism. These maxims constitute the answers to the religious questions that preoccupied the tribe of Israel as it made its way through the wilderness toward Canaan and formed the basis of Jewish religious belief. The Talmud, a central text of mainstream Judaism, takes the Ten Commandments as its starting point for ethical teachings.
10 Commandments In The Bible Verse
The 10 Commandments are a set of moral and ethical principles given by God to the Israelites in the Old Testament. These commandments serve as guidelines for living a righteous and just life according to God’s will. Let’s explore these commandments through relevant Bible verses:
1. Exodus 20:3 – You shall have no other gods before me.
– This verse emphasizes the importance of worshiping and serving only the one true God.
2. Exodus 20:4-5 – You shall not make for yourself an idol.
– God commands us to refrain from worshiping idols and to focus our devotion solely on Him.
3. Exodus 20:7 – You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
– This commandment reminds us to honor and respect God’s name and not to use it in vain.
4. Exodus 20:8 – Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
– The Sabbath day is meant for rest and reflection, dedicated to worshiping God and acknowledging His sovereignty.
5. Exodus 20:12 – Honor your father and mother.
– Respecting and honoring our parents is crucial in maintaining healthy relationships and upholding the family unit.
6. Exodus 20:13 – You shall not murder.
– This commandment prohibits the taking of innocent life and promotes the sanctity of human life.
7. Exodus 20:14 – You shall not commit adultery.
– Adultery destroys trust and violates the sacred covenant of marriage, so it is forbidden by God.
8. Exodus 20:15 – You shall not steal.
– Stealing is a sin that goes against the principle of treating others with honesty and integrity.
9. Exodus 20:16 – You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
– Lying and spreading falsehoods about others are prohibited in order to maintain trust and justice in society.
10. Exodus 20:17 – You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, or possessions.
– Envy and jealousy breed discontentment and can lead to sinful actions, so it is important to be content with what we have.
By following these 10 commandments, we can live a life that is pleasing to God and respectful towards others. They serve as a moral compass to guide us in making choices that honor God and uphold His values.
10 Commandments New Testament
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
– Worship only one God, the creator of all things.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
– Do not worship idols or create false gods to worship.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
– Show respect for God’s name and do not use it carelessly.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
– Set aside one day a week for rest and worship.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
– Respect and obey your parents.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
– Do not take the life of another person.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
– Stay faithful to your spouse and do not engage in extramarital affairs.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
– Do not take anything that does not belong to you.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
– Do not lie or spread false information about others.
10. Thou shalt not covet.
– Be content with what you have and do not envy others.
| Commandment | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Worship only one God |
| 2 | Do not worship idols |
| 3 | Show respect for God’s name |
| 4 | Set aside one day for rest and worship |
| 5 | Respect and obey your parents |
| 6 | Do not take another person’s life |
| 7 | Stay faithful to your spouse |
| 8 | Do not steal |
| 9 | Do not lie about others |
| 10 | Be content with what you have |
You shall have no other gods before me.
The existence of God is a subject of debate in the philosophy of religion, popular culture, and philosophy. A wide variety of arguments for and against the existence of God can be categorized as metaphysical, logical, empirical, or subjective.
Theism is broadly defined as the belief in the existence of the Supreme Being or gods. In common parlance, or when contrasted with deism, the term often describes the classical conception of God that is found in monotheism (also referred to as classical theism) – or gods found in polytheistic religions—a belief in God or in gods without belief in the absence of such beings.[2] Deism is also sometimes used as a synonym for natural religion,[3][4] but this use excludes all forms of non-theistic spirituality[5] such as Buddhism and Hinduism
Atheists assert that there are certain types of evidence which can prove that there exists no god: The presence of evil and suffering (see problem of evil);[8][9] apparent contradictions between different religious traditions;[10][11][12] claims about miracles (see miracle);[13] lack of objective evidence for religious claims;[14][15][16]:2–4 conflicting beliefs about what should be considered sacred among people who share a particular faith tradition;[17]:26–27 arguments from probability that God does not exist;[18]:144–145 and lack of logic inherent to concepts like “God”.[19]:46
You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me…
Why would God give us this ability if he didn’t want us to use it? It doesn’t make sense!
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
While cursing and swearing in a disrespectful manner are certainly big offenses under this command, there is another way of taking God’s name in vain that many Christians have fallen into. Using God’s name as an adjective or adverb, as in “Oh my gosh” or “By golly,” is commonly done today. But the fact remains that these phrases are simply a replacement for the more graphic forms of profanity. The Bible says not to use His name at all unless it’s with reverent awe and respect.
We should give to God what He is due: reverence, honor, glory, praise, servitude. When we do this with all our hearts—when we give our lives to Him and worship Him alone—we will not even think about using His name frivolously.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
You shall remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shall you labor and do all your work: but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Yahweh your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your cattle, nor the sojourner who is within your gates: for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day: wherefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.
Honor your father and your mother.
Honoring one’s parents is an important part of the Ten Commandments. The commandment reads, “You shall honor your father and mother.” According to the Bible, this commandment was given by God because it was thought that by honoring your parents you would be considered righteous. However, the term “honor” has come to mean something different than what it did in biblical times. In those days, the word referred to a way of thinking about a person or a thing that was different from how most people thought about them—it meant having respect for them or being loyal to them.
In modern society, there are many ways we can show our respect for our parents as representatives of God on earth:
- Be obedient: This means doing what they say when they ask us to do something for them. If you have any questions about whether their request is appropriate (such as if they ask you to do something that could put yourself or someone else in danger), then you should ask first!
- Don’t talk back: This means not arguing with them when they give an order—even if it seems unfair at first glance (like getting grounded)! You should always try your hardest not even whisper under breath while they’re talking because disobedience will lead others into sinning against their own parents too–and this will ultimately bring shame upon all Christians everywhere as well.”
You shall not murder.
The passage of scripture that pertains to this commandment is found in Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.”
This commandment comes with the following specifications:
- Do not commit murder. This goes without saying, but we can go further than this. The Bible says that even anger in our hearts makes us liable to God’s judgment (Matthew 5:22). Because of this, we should do all we can to remain at peace with others and not allow anger or hatred to build up within us.
- Forgive those who hurt you. To be angry toward someone is essentially an act of murder because it stands against what God intended for you; peace and a good relationship with your neighbors (Psalm 34:14). Instead of holding grudges against others, we should forgive them as Christ has forgiven us (Luke 6:37). We need to take ourselves out of the equation and focus on the person who was wronged; are they being treated fairly? How can I help them? In allowing yourself to be shaped by Christ rather than the world around you, selflessness becomes your new way of life and the fruit of love will blossom in your heart (Galatians 5:22-23).
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
It is a fundamental principle of the Bible: what belongs to one person (or family, or community) should not belong to others.
Thou shalt not steal. It’s among the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, and theoretically, it’s as straightforward as they come. You shall not steal. But when we look at what constitutes stealing in the original Hebrew language of the Torah—and how that plays out in Jewish law—there is more nuance than you might think. Here are six things that are forbidden by this commandment:
- Taking someone else’s property with an intention of keeping it for yourself. Let’s say you were driving with your neighbor and saw a wallet fall out of his pocket at the same time he did. “That’s my wallet,” he says, picking it up and putting it back into his pocket. But he didn’t see $100 bills poking out from inside the wallet, so you know there’s something valuable inside and decide to swipe it from him later that day when he isn’t looking because you want whatever money is in there for yourself. In this situation, even if your neighbor doesn’t notice his wallet went missing right away (for example, if he put it in his locker at work or something like that), stealing would be taking place because of your intentions here: taking someone else’s property with an intention of keeping it for yourself constitutes theft according to Jewish law because you’re depriving them of their rightful possession for your own gain.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Seeing that you are often asked to give testimony in court, this commandment reminds you to honor God by telling the truth. The Lord wants you to promise—or swear—only when it is absolutely necessary and then tell the truth no matter what.
Even if a lie seems harmless, it’s important not to tell one. God told Moses that he would be punished for lying about speaking with Him (Numbers 20:7-12), even though his lie was meant to help others. God will also punish those who tell lies about others just because they are jealous or mean-spirited or angry (Exodus 23:1).
God expects His followers not to use lies as a way of dodging responsibility or getting out of trouble. When Jacob lied about stealing his father’s blessing from Esau, he had “done foolishly” and “acted wickedly” (Genesis 27:12). He paid dearly for this sin and had to flee from his home country.
When Jesus was on trial before Pilate, the chief priests made up stories so they could have Jesus put to death (Matthew 26:59-61; Mark 14:55-57). They were willing to perjure themselves on oath just so they could get rid of Jesus! But according to scripture, even in death Jesus won over all his enemies by completely trusting in God (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34-36).
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.
Two of the commandments deal directly with coveting, even including a warning about the consequences of this type of sin. Exodus 20:17 says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” In this passage God tells us to focus on our own things and not desire what belongs to others. Coveting is one step below committing theft and adultery because it is just a desire to take something that does not belong to you.
The 10th commandment explicitly calls out four specific sins—lying (Exodus 20:16), stealing (Exodus 20:15), adultery (Exodus 20:14), and murder (Exodus 20:13). Each one of these sins can be traced back to the sin of coveting. For example, someone might lie in order to cover up their stealing or murdering in order to get what they want from another person more quickly.
God told Mose to pass these commandments on to the people of Israel
The Ten Commandments is a set of rules or laws, God gave to the people of Israel. The commandments exist in different versions. One version can be found in the Book of Exodus, and the other in Deuteronomy. The Bible mentions that Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive these commandments from God (Exodus 19).
When Moses came back down with the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets, he found that not only had the people worshiped an idol but had also lost faith in him as their leader and prophet. In his anger, Moses threw down the tablets and destroyed them (Exodus 32:19). Wanting to make amends for what happened at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses went back up to speak with God again for 40 days. When he returned he brought brand new stone tablets that would replace those he broke before (Exodus 34:1-4).
Understanding the 10 Commandments and their relevance for today
Moses then led them to Mount Saini where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, as well as the other laws for right living. He also provided the blueprint for building a Tabernacle. God was forming a Holy Nation prepared to live for and serve Him.
The 10 Commandments
1. You shall have no other God’s before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images.
These laws were very important. The Israelites needed them to become a strong nation amid all the people around them who worshipped idols. We are pledging in these commandments our allegiance to be loyal, obedient and respect God.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
We don’t like it if people call us bad names do we? They are being disrespectful. God’s name is Holy and it must be used only in a reverent way.
Some people take God’s name in vain because others are doing it and we find ourselves saying these words that dishonor God. It can take root in our hearts and mind and begin saying it and don’t realize you did. Be careful don’t allow it to take root in your heart.
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy.
Back in the Old Testament, this meant they should not work on the Sabbath but they carried it too far and wouldn’t let people pick up something heavy. Jesus changed this and said we should keep the Sabbath day to worship, remember creation, and rest so we could serve God and others.
5. Honor your father and mother.
Honor means to love and respect them. When you honor your parents you love and obey them because they are wiser. God wanted homes to be happy so he made this an important rule.
6. Thou shalt not kill. — God wants us to protect human life.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. — This means husbands and wives should be faithful to one another.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
No one is permitted to take something that belongs to another. Not only is it God’s law but it is the basic law of the society we live in.
9. Thou shall not bear false witness.
This means do not tell a lie. Do not tell stories that are untrue about people. When you tell a lie, you hurt yourself as well as others. Soon people will not trust what you say.
10. You shall not covet.
Covet means to want something that belongs to someone else. A person who covets may be led to break all most all the other commandments.
God’s laws protect us
These were the laws God established for His nation of people. When we become believers, God says, “This is a New Covenant I will make with my people on that day says the Lord. I will put my law in their hearts and I will write them on their mind.”
Then he says,” I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” Hebrews 10: 16-17.
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Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it.
None of us are perfect but we must continually seek to obey these commandments. Jesus came that these laws could be fulfilled as we walk and trust in Him.
Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
Obedience comes with a reward
Dear precious friends, it’s by our obedience to God’s Word that the abundance comes. It is our prayer at Weekday Religious Education that you experience this abundance as you follow his teaching and teach them to your children.
Let us end with this promise from God in Proverb 3: 1-4 “My sons and daughters, do not forget my teaching but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”