Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are a set of religious and moral directives in Judaism and Christianity, presented in the Hebrew Bible as laws given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.

The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue, are a set of religious and moral directives in Judaism and Christianity. According to the Hebrew Bible, they were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and appear in two closely related forms in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. Different religious traditions number and phrase the commandments differently.

Biblical sources

The Ten Commandments are recorded in two main biblical passages: Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. These accounts are similar but not identical in wording, a difference that has led to various traditional enumerations and phrasings.

Meaning and structure

The Ten Commandments are generally understood as a covenant code that combines religious obligations with social ethics. In Catholic teaching, the first three commandments concern love of God, while the remaining seven concern love of neighbor.

Religious significance

In Judaism, the Ten Commandments are central to the covenant between God and Israel and are closely tied to broader Jewish law. In Christianity, they remain a major moral and theological reference point across many denominations.

Numbering traditions

Although the total is commonly described as ten, the specific division of the commandments varies among Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed traditions. These differences usually reflect how the commandments concerning idolatry, Sabbath observance, and coveting are grouped and numbered.