The lists which are commonly known as the Ten Commandments are given in passages in two books of the Bible: Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. These passages are provided in English below, using the New Revised Standard Version translation and formatting. Various religions and denominations group the commandments differently; see the Division of the Commandments section for a detailed accounting.

The commandments passage in Exodus contains more than ten imperative statements, totalling 14 or 15 in all. While the Bible itself assigns the count of “10”, using the Hebrew phrase aseret had'varim—translated as the 10 words, statements or things, this phrase does not appear in the passages usually presented as being “the Ten Commandments”.

Commandment	Jewish	Roman Catholic
I am the Lord your God	1	1
You shall have no other gods before me	2
You shall not make for yourself an idol
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God	3	2
Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy	4	3
Honor your father and mother	5	4
You shall not murder	6	5
You shall not commit adultery	7	6
You shall not steal	8	7
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor	9	8
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house	10	9
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife		10

In the New Testament, Jesus refers to the commandments in several verses, and condenses them into two general commands:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the great general commandment that Jesus took from the book of Deuteronomy 6:5. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

These words quoted by Jesus appear in the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 respectively.

Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). His famous sermon from a hill representing Mount Zion is considered by many Christian scholars to be the antitype of the proclamation of the Ten Commandments (Old Covenant) by Moses from Mount Sinai.

 

 

The Roman Catholic division of the commandments both follow the one established by St. Augustine. The first three commandments

-         govern the relationship between God and humans,

-         the fourth through eighth govern public relationships between people,

-         and the last two govern private thoughts.

For additional information on the Catholic understanding of the Ten Commandments, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994), sections 2052–2557. References to the Catechism are provided below for each commandment as well as the interpretation used by Catholics. The following text is from Deuteronomy 5:6–5:21 NRSV

Catholic teaching distinguishes between dulia—paying honor, respect and veneration to saints and also indirectly to God through contemplation of objects such as paintings and statues—and latria— adoration directed to God alone. (See Catechism 2084–2141.)

This commandment prohibits not just swearing but also the misappropriation of religious language in order to commit a crime, participating in occult practices, and blaspheming against places or people that are holy to God. (See Catechism 2142–2167.)

This commandment emphasizes the family as part of God's design, as well as an extended metaphor that God uses for his relationship with his creation. (See Catechism 2197–2257.)

The right of states to execute criminals is not absolutely forbidden by this commandment. However, other methods of protecting society (incarceration, rehabilitation) are increasingly available and more in keeping with other Christian moral teaching. Catholics (along with many Protestants) also consider abortion sinful and a violation of this commandment. War, if rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy are met (that is, the “use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated”), is not a violation because “governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed.” (See Catechism 2258–2330.)

Adultery is the breaking of the holy bond between husband and wife, and is thus a sacrilege. This commandment includes not just the act of adultery, but lust as well. (See Catechism 2331–2400.)

8.    “Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.”

This commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in relations with others. This also forbids lying. (See Catechism 2464–2513.)

 

(See Catechism 2534–2557.)