What Are the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments are among the best-known passages of the Bible. According to the Old Testament, these commands were given through Moses at Mount Sinai after the people of Israel came out of Egypt, and were written on two stone tablets. The Ten Commandments summarize basic moral principles ordering one's relationship both with God and with other people. This page explains, neutrally, what they are, where they appear and what they say; afterward you can read the relevant chapters here for free.
Where do the Ten Commandments come from?
According to the Old Testament, after the people of Israel were freed from slavery in Egypt and went out into the wilderness, they came to Mount Sinai. In the narrative God there gives the people, through Moses, a series of commands; their core is the Ten Commandments written on two stone tablets. This event is recounted in chapter 20 of the book of Exodus. The Ten Commandments are presented as the basic terms of the covenant Israel made with God.
What do the Ten Commandments say?
The Ten Commandments can be divided into two main parts. The first commands order a person's relationship with God: to worship the one God alone, not to make idols, not to misuse God's name, and to keep the day of rest (the Sabbath) holy. The later commands order people's relationships with one another: honoring one's parents, not killing, not committing adultery, not stealing, not bearing false witness and not coveting what belongs to another. In this way the Ten Commandments offer a framework for both faith and social morality.
Where are the Ten Commandments in the Bible?
The Ten Commandments appear in two places in the Bible. The first is chapter 20 of the book of Exodus, where the event is recounted. The second is chapter 5 of the book of Deuteronomy, where Moses recalls the commands to the people again. The two texts contain essentially the same commands, with small differences of wording. By reading these two chapters you can see the Ten Commandments in their own context.
What do the Ten Commandments mean today?
The Ten Commandments are seen as basic moral principles that have deeply influenced many cultures and legal traditions. They hold a central place in the Jewish and Christian traditions; in his teaching Jesus too sums up their essence as "love God and love your neighbor." This page imposes no interpretation; it links to the relevant chapters so you can read the commands from their own texts.
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Guides
- What Is the Gospel (İncil)?
- What Are the Torah, Psalms (Zebur) and Gospel?
- The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Who Wrote the Bible? When Was It Written?
- How Many Books Are There in the Bible?
- Chapters and Verses: How to Read a Reference Like "John 3:16"
- Who Is Jesus Christ?
- What Is the Zebur (Book of Psalms)?
- What Is Baptism?
- How Did the Bible Reach Us? (Manuscripts and Translation)
- What Is Prayer and How Do You Pray?
- What Are the Ten Commandments?
- What Are the Parables of Jesus?
- What Are the Old and New Testaments?
- What Is Christmas? When and Where Was Jesus Born?
- What Are Easter and the Resurrection?
- Who or What Is the Holy Spirit?
- What Is a Church (Kilise)?
- What Is Christianity?
- What Is Sin (Günah)?
- What Are Angels?
- What Are Heaven and Hell?
- What Is a Prophet?
- What Is the Trinity?
- Satan and Evil According to the Bible
- How Do You Memorize Bible Verses?
- Kadıköy Kilise Translation (KKR): Sources and Revision Notes
What are the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments are, according to the Old Testament, ten basic commands given to the people of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai and written on two stone tablets. They summarize moral principles ordering one's relationship with both God and other people.
Where are the Ten Commandments in the Bible?
The Ten Commandments appear in two chapters: Exodus 20 (where the event is recounted) and Deuteronomy 5 (where the commands are recalled). The two texts contain essentially the same commands.
To whom were the Ten Commandments given?
According to the narrative, the Ten Commandments were given to the people of Israel — freed from slavery in Egypt — through Moses at Mount Sinai. They are presented as the basic terms of the covenant the people made with God.
What do the Ten Commandments cover?
The first commands concern one's relationship with God (worshiping the one God, not making idols, not misusing God's name, keeping the day of rest holy), and the later ones concern relationships with people (honoring parents, not killing, not committing adultery, not stealing, not bearing false witness, not coveting).
How many commandments are there, and why "ten"?
The commands are traditionally counted as ten items, which is why they are called the "Ten Commandments." Although different traditions number the items slightly differently, the content is the same and the total is ten.