The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5)

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are God’s guide to the good life—a life full of blessings. That’s why the Bible calls them “the law of liberty.” See why they are relevant to us today and are designed to protect us, our families and our communities.

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Discover the Ten Commandments in the Bible and why there’s more to these commandments than meets the eye. They truly are ten keys and building blocks to improving your life and relationships.

This guide explores:

  • How every commandment of God is for our good. 
  • Why obeying God’s commandments and practicing love are linked together in God’s eyes. 
  • That God’s law has not been abolished, according to Christ’s own words.

See how the biblical commandments show us how to transform the way we think, what we do and how we live. 

Table of Contents

Hands holding chains.

A Royal Law of Love

13 minutes
Many religious people embrace the idea of loving others as themselves but remain blissfully unaware of how the Bible defines love. As a result, they...
Waterfall

The First Commandment: What Is Our Greatest Priority?

11 minutes
1. "You shall have no other gods before Me." Establishing, developing and maintaining that personal relationship with the true and living God is the...
Man standing in a field.

Our Dependence on the God Who Created Us

2 minutes
Do we realize how fragile our existence is, how constantly dependent we are on God’s care?
Woman praying to Mother Mary and baby Jesus painting.

The Second Commandment: What Is God Like?

12 minutes
2. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is...
Couple arguing

The Third Commandment: From Profanity to Praise

13 minutes
3. "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." The use of God's...
Cover of a Bible

God's Many Names Reveal Much About Him

2 minutes
The Bible uses a variety of names for God. He calls things what they are, and He calls Himself what He is.
Setting sun

The Fourth Commandment: The Sabbath - Key to a Relationship With Our Creator

12 minutes
4. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." The Fourth Commandment, to remember the Sabbath, concludes the section of the Commandments that...
A grandma, mom and little boy.

The Fifth Commandment: A Foundation for Success

9 minutes
5. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you." The primary focus of the Fifth...
A young woman looking over a crowded city.

How Should We Treat Parents Who Are Difficult to Honor?

2 minutes
How can we honor parents or grandparents whose behavior is unworthy of admiration? How can we apply this commandment to them?
Upclose of angry eyes of a person.

The Sixth Commandment: Life Is a Precious Gift

8 minutes
6. "You shall not murder." Who possesses the authority to take human life? Who has the right to make that decision? The emphasis in the Sixth...
A young married couple hugging each other.

The Seventh Commandment: Protect the Marital Relationship

11 minutes
7. "You shall not commit adultery." Unless the natural desires that attract us to members of the opposite sex are channeled exclusively toward a...
A man ready to break into a house and steal.

The Eighth Commandment: Practice Giving Rather Than Getting

9 minutes
8. "You shall not steal." The Eighth Commandment safeguards everyone's right to legitimately acquire and own property. God wants that right honored...
A man praying.

The Ninth Commandment: Truth as a Way of Life

9 minutes
9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." How important is truth? To fully appreciate the Ninth Commandment, with its prohibition...
Spending time with a older lady in wheelchair.

The Tenth Commandment: True Righteousness Comes From the Heart

10 minutes
10. "You shall not covet." The last of the Commandments—against coveting—is aimed directly at the heart and mind of every human being. In prohibiting...
A Bible opened to beginning of the New Testament.

The Ten Commandments in the New Testament

9 minutes
Does it matter whether we obey the Commandments? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could ask Jesus Christ if keeping the Commandments is still necessary...
Bible on a book shelf.

Does the New Covenant Abolish the Commandments?

4 minutes
Jesus Christ and the apostles viewed the Commandments as a necessary part of Christian living.
Open Bible

Grace, Faith and Law

4 minutes
God's grace through faith requires a law that defines the sins that are to be forgiven.
A group of people studying the Bible.

Christ's New Commandment

2 minutes
Does this new commandment supersede the Ten Commandments and replace all other biblical laws?
Bible infographic - The Ten Commandments

[Infographic]: The 10 Commandments

2 minutes
Do you have a difficult time remembering the Ten Commandments recorded in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5? Are you trying to teach your kids God's...