What are the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments are a group of religious instructions associated especially with the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. In the biblical narratives, they are presented as teachings given to Moses at Mount Sinai and recorded in Exodus and Deuteronomy.
They are not a single universally identical list. Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions organize and number the passages differently, while placing different emphasis on worship, family responsibilities, truthfulness, property, sexuality and human life.
Reading with care
The phrase “Ten Commandments” can refer to a text, a religious tradition's interpretation, a classroom display or a proposed legal use. These are related but distinct questions.
Shared themes
The commandments combine duties directed toward God with duties concerning relationships among people. The opening instructions address exclusive worship, sacred representation, divine name and religious time. The later instructions address parents, killing, adultery, theft, false testimony and coveting.
Readers should avoid treating a short summary as a substitute for the source traditions. Terms such as “kill,” “murder,” “testimony” and “coveting” have generated extensive interpretation, and translations do not always convey every nuance in the same way.
Different numbering traditions
The wording is broadly familiar, but the boundaries between commandments vary. Some traditions count the opening statement about deliverance as part of the first commandment; others begin with the prohibition of other gods. Some combine prohibitions concerning images, while others separate them. The final prohibitions may also be divided differently.
| Tradition or approach | Why numbering may differ |
|---|---|
| Jewish interpretations | Often treat the opening declaration as significant and organize the remaining prohibitions according to Jewish interpretive practice. |
| Catholic and Lutheran traditions | Combine some material about other gods and images, then distinguish different forms of coveting. |
| Reformed and many Protestant traditions | Often distinguish the prohibition of other gods from the prohibition of images and combine the two coveting clauses. |
Religion, ethics and civic debate
The commandments have influenced moral teaching, art, literature and public discussion for centuries. Their presence in a civic setting raises questions about historical heritage, religious neutrality, equal treatment and the rights of people who do not share the same faith.
A respectful civic approach distinguishes teaching about religion from religious instruction. Students can study the commandments as an important historical and literary source while also learning that communities interpret them differently and that other ethical traditions have their own influential texts and principles.
Public arguments about displays or legal references should be assessed in their specific setting. The relevant questions may include the purpose of the display, the surrounding material, the treatment of other viewpoints and the applicable law.
Questions for further study
- How do Exodus and Deuteronomy differ in wording and context?
- How do Jewish and Christian traditions interpret the commandments?
- How are religious texts used in discussions of public ethics?
- What is the difference between historical education and religious observance?