The 10 Commandments in order, using the numbering common in many Protestant and Reformed churches, are: have no other gods, do not make idols, do not misuse God’s name, remember the Sabbath, honour your parents, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness and do not covet.
They appear in Exodus 20:1–17 and are repeated in Deuteronomy 5:6–21. The Bible calls them the “ten words”, but it does not print the familiar numbers beside them. Jewish and Christian traditions therefore group parts of the same biblical text differently.
Quick list of the Ten Commandments:
- You shall have no other gods before God.
- You shall not make or worship idols.
- You shall not misuse the name of the Lord.
- Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
- Honour your father and mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
- You shall not covet what belongs to your neighbour.
This guide explains each commandment in its biblical setting and shows why the numbering may look different in a Catholic, Lutheran or Jewish list.
The 10 Commandments in Order With Bible References
| Number | Commandment | Exodus | Deuteronomy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Have no other gods | Exodus 20:3 | Deuteronomy 5:7 |
| 2 | Do not make or worship idols | Exodus 20:4–6 | Deuteronomy 5:8–10 |
| 3 | Do not misuse God’s name | Exodus 20:7 | Deuteronomy 5:11 |
| 4 | Remember the Sabbath | Exodus 20:8–11 | Deuteronomy 5:12–15 |
| 5 | Honour your father and mother | Exodus 20:12 | Deuteronomy 5:16 |
| 6 | Do not murder | Exodus 20:13 | Deuteronomy 5:17 |
| 7 | Do not commit adultery | Exodus 20:14 | Deuteronomy 5:18 |
| 8 | Do not steal | Exodus 20:15 | Deuteronomy 5:19 |
| 9 | Do not bear false witness | Exodus 20:16 | Deuteronomy 5:20 |
| 10 | Do not covet | Exodus 20:17 | Deuteronomy 5:21 |
The wording above is a concise summary, not a replacement for reading the complete passages. Open Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 to read each command in context.
What Are the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments are the central covenant instructions God gave to Israel at Mount Sinai after delivering the people from slavery in Egypt. The biblical account does not begin with Israel earning rescue through obedience. God first identifies Himself as the One who brought them out of bondage and then teaches them how His covenant people should live.
This setting matters. The commandments were not originally presented as ten disconnected motivational sayings. They formed part of God’s covenant with a particular people and taught Israel how to worship Him and live justly within the community.
Read Exodus 19 for the events leading to the giving of the commandments and Exodus 20 for the words themselves.
Why Are They Called the “Ten Words”?
Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and Deuteronomy 10:4 refer to these instructions as the “ten words”. The term Decalogue comes from Greek words meaning “ten words”. “Ten Commandments” remains the familiar English name because the passage contains direct commands from God.
The passage contains more than ten individual imperative statements, however. That is why interpreters must decide which statements belong together when producing a numbered list of ten.
The 10 Commandments Explained Simply
1. You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me
Bible reference: Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7.
The first command calls Israel to worship and serve the Lord alone. God had delivered the people from Egypt, a culture surrounded by many gods, and demanded their undivided allegiance.
For Christians, this command raises questions about what receives ultimate trust, loyalty and devotion. Money, political power, relationships, reputation and personal achievement may become more important than obedience to God even when they are not represented by religious statues.
Putting God first does not simply mean mentioning Him occasionally. It means allowing faithfulness to Him to shape priorities, decisions and conduct.
2. You Shall Not Make or Worship Idols
Bible reference: Exodus 20:4–6 and Deuteronomy 5:8–10.
This command prohibits making images for worship and bowing before them as gods. It warns against trying to reduce the living God to an object that people can construct, control or manipulate.
The command is not a simple ban on every picture, sculpture or creative work. The concern in the passage is idolatrous representation and worship.
Modern idolatry may also appear when a person treats wealth, success, influence or another human being as the source of ultimate security and meaning.
3. You Shall Not Misuse the Name of the Lord
Bible reference: Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11.
This command is often associated with using God’s name casually or disrespectfully. Its meaning is broader than careless speech alone.
To bear or use God’s name falsely can include dishonest oaths, claiming divine authority for something God has not said, manipulating people through religious language or professing faith while deliberately acting in ways that misrepresent Him.
The command therefore calls for reverence, truthfulness and integrity whenever a person speaks about God or acts in His name.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day and Keep It Holy
Bible reference: Exodus 20:8–11 and Deuteronomy 5:12–15.
Israel was commanded to set apart the seventh day, cease ordinary work and allow servants, foreigners and animals to rest as well.
Exodus connects Sabbath rest with God’s rest after creation. Deuteronomy connects it with Israel’s rescue from slavery, reminding the people not to reproduce the relentless oppression they had experienced in Egypt.
Christians agree that worship, rest and humane treatment of workers matter, but they differ over how the Sabbath command applies under the new covenant. Some observe Saturday, some associate Sunday worship with the principle, and others distinguish the Israelite Sabbath command from Christian worship without dismissing the value of rest.
This article does not attempt to settle that denominational disagreement. Readers should study the complete biblical passages and their own tradition’s reasoning carefully.
5. Honour Your Father and Your Mother
Bible reference: Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16.
The fifth command teaches respect for parents and recognises their important place within family and community life. For children, honour normally includes appropriate obedience. For adults, it may include gratitude, respectful communication and practical care where possible.
Honouring a parent does not require enabling abuse, concealing wrongdoing or obeying an instruction that is harmful or contrary to God’s commands. Respect and appropriate boundaries may need to exist together in a damaged relationship.
Where family circumstances involve violence, exploitation or serious danger, seek support from trustworthy people and qualified local services.
6. You Shall Not Murder
Bible reference: Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17.
The King James Version says, “Thou shalt not kill”, while many modern translations use “You shall not murder”. “Murder” communicates the usual meaning more precisely because the law of Moses did not treat every form of taking life as the same act.
The command affirms the value of human life and prohibits the intentional, unlawful killing of another person.
Jesus also challenged the anger, contempt and hostility that can grow beneath outward violence. In Matthew 5:21–26, He calls His followers to take anger and reconciliation seriously rather than believing they are righteous merely because they have avoided murder.
7. You Shall Not Commit Adultery
Bible reference: Exodus 20:14 and Deuteronomy 5:18.
Adultery violates the covenant of marriage through sexual unfaithfulness. The command protects marital faithfulness, trust and family relationships.
Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:27–30 that sexual faithfulness is not only about avoiding an outward act. His teaching also confronts the deliberate cultivation of lust and the treatment of another person as an object for selfish desire.
Faithfulness requires honesty, appropriate boundaries and respect for the commitments made within marriage.
8. You Shall Not Steal
Bible reference: Exodus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 5:19.
This command prohibits taking what belongs to another person. It protects property, labour and trust within a community.
Its principle reaches beyond secretly taking a physical item. Theft can include fraud, withholding what is rightly owed, dishonest business practices, exploiting workers, plagiarism or knowingly taking credit for another person’s work.
Living honestly may also require returning what was taken, correcting a false claim or making restitution where possible.
9. You Shall Not Bear False Witness Against Your Neighbour
Bible reference: Exodus 20:16 and Deuteronomy 5:20.
The original wording has a legal setting: giving false testimony against another person could destroy that person’s reputation, freedom or life.
The command supports a broader commitment to truth. It warns against false accusations, deliberate deception, distorted evidence, malicious gossip and sharing claims without knowing whether they are true.
Truthfulness does not require broadcasting every private fact. It requires refusing to deceive or damage a neighbour through false testimony.
10. You Shall Not Covet
Bible reference: Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21.
To covet is to desire what belongs to another person in a wrongful and consuming way. The command mentions a neighbour’s house, spouse, servants, animals and possessions.
This final command is different from a rule concerned only with visible behaviour. It reaches inward to desires that can feed adultery, theft, deceit and resentment.
Not every desire to improve your circumstances is coveting. The problem is a disordered craving for what belongs to someone else, especially when comparison produces resentment or a willingness to take what is not yours.
Why Are the Ten Commandments Numbered Differently?
Exodus and Deuteronomy describe ten words, but they do not place the numbers one through ten beside individual sentences. Traditions therefore divide the same material differently.
| Tradition | How the beginning is grouped | How coveting is grouped |
|---|---|---|
| Reformed and many Protestant lists | “No other gods” and “no idols” are counted separately. | Coveting is treated as one commandment. |
| Orthodox lists | Generally separate the command concerning other gods from the command concerning images. | Coveting is generally treated together. |
| Roman Catholic lists | Other gods and idolatry are grouped within the first commandment. | Coveting another person’s spouse and coveting possessions are divided. |
| Lutheran lists | Other gods and idolatry are grouped together. | The coveting clauses are divided, though not always in exactly the same order as Catholic lists. |
| Jewish tradition | “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt” is counted as the first word; other gods and idols are grouped in the next. | The coveting material is grouped together. |
The quick list at the beginning of this article follows the Reformed/Protestant numbering familiar to many English-speaking readers. It does not imply that other traditions have removed part of the biblical passage.
Are the Lists in Exodus and Deuteronomy Identical?
The two passages contain the same central commands, but their wording is not completely identical.
- The Sabbath explanation differs. Exodus connects Sabbath rest with creation, while Deuteronomy connects it with Israel’s rescue from slavery.
- The coveting clauses appear in a different order. Exodus mentions the neighbour’s house before the neighbour’s wife, while Deuteronomy mentions the wife first.
- Deuteronomy addresses a later generation. Moses repeats the covenant instructions as Israel prepares to enter the promised land.
These differences do not create two unrelated sets of commandments. They show Moses restating the covenant words in a new setting and emphasising particular aspects of their meaning.
How Did Jesus Summarise God’s Commands?
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He answered by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5: love God with all your heart, soul and mind. He then quoted Leviticus 19:18: love your neighbour as yourself.
Jesus said that the Law and the Prophets depend upon these two commands. Read the complete exchange in Matthew 22:34–40.
This summary does not make truthfulness, faithfulness or respect for life unimportant. It explains the direction in which faithful obedience should move: love for God and love for other people.
Do Christians Have to Keep the Ten Commandments?
Christians agree that salvation is not earned by successfully keeping a list of laws. They also recognise that the New Testament repeatedly affirms commands against idolatry, murder, adultery, theft, dishonesty and coveting.
Paul refers to several commandments in Romans 13:8–10 and says that love does no harm to a neighbour. Jesus likewise teaches the deeper moral demands beneath murder, adultery, truthfulness and love.
Christian traditions differ over how the Mosaic covenant and the Sabbath command apply under the new covenant. The careful approach is neither to treat the commandments as a means of earning acceptance from God nor to dismiss their moral teaching as irrelevant.
A Simple Way to Remember the Ten Commandments
Using the numbering in this article, remember the movement of the list:
- Worship: no other gods and no idols
- Reverence: do not misuse God’s name
- Sacred time: remember the Sabbath
- Family: honour parents
- Life: do not murder
- Marriage: do not commit adultery
- Property: do not steal
- Truth: do not bear false witness
- Desire: do not covet
Memorising the short summaries can be useful, but reading Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 prevents the list from becoming disconnected from its biblical setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the Ten Commandments found in the Bible?
The complete passages are found in Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. Related references to the “ten words” also appear in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and Deuteronomy 10:4.
What is the first of the Ten Commandments?
In the numbering followed by many Protestant and Reformed churches, the first commandment is, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Jewish tradition instead counts God’s opening statement about delivering Israel from Egypt as the first of the ten words.
What is the tenth commandment?
In the numbering used in this article, the tenth commandment is the prohibition against coveting a neighbour’s house, spouse or possessions. Catholic and Lutheran traditions divide the coveting material into two numbered commandments.
Why does the KJV say “Thou shalt not kill”?
The King James Version uses the English word “kill”. Many modern translations use “murder” because it more clearly communicates the prohibition against intentional, unlawful killing in this commandment.
Did Jesus repeat all ten commandments in one place?
No single Gospel passage records Jesus reciting the complete numbered list from one to ten. He quoted and affirmed several commandments, deepened their moral application and summarised the law through love for God and neighbour.
Are the Catholic and Protestant commandments different?
They use the same biblical material in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 but group and number sections differently. Protestant/Reformed lists usually separate other gods from idols, while Catholic lists combine them and divide the coveting clauses.
Were the commandments given before or after Israel left Egypt?
They were given after God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. This order is important because the biblical account presents obedience as a response within a covenant relationship, not the condition Israel fulfilled to earn its original rescue.
Were the Ten Commandments written on two stone tablets?
Yes. Exodus 31:18 and Deuteronomy 4:13 describe the covenant words being written on two stone tablets. The Bible does not explicitly say that commands one to four were written on one tablet and five to ten on the other.
Read the Commandments in Their Full Context
The short list makes the order easy to remember, but the complete biblical passages provide the reasons, warnings and covenant setting that a summary cannot include.
- Read Exodus 19 for Israel’s arrival at Mount Sinai.
- Read Exodus 20 for the first complete account.
- Read Deuteronomy 5 for Moses’ later restatement.
- Open the Jesusfully online Bible for further reading.
You can also use our guide to the books of the Bible in order to see where Exodus and Deuteronomy appear within Scripture.
Understand the List, Then Read the Text
The Ten Commandments begin with worship and move through reverence, rest, family, human life, marriage, property, truth and inward desire. Together, they reveal that faithfulness concerns both outward conduct and the loyalties of the heart.
Learning their order is a useful beginning. Understanding their covenant setting, different numbering traditions and wider biblical application provides a more accurate foundation.
After reading the commandments, you can visit the Jesusfully Prayer Library for Scripture-guided resources that help turn biblical reflection into sincere prayer.