What Are the Ten Commandments? List and Order, Simple Explanation

Q: What is the story of the Ten Commandments?

God gave the commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai written on two stone tablets. When Moses saw the Israelites worshiping a golden calf, he broke the tablets, and God later inscribed a second set (Exodus 34).

Q: What are the seven deadly sins (Catholic list)?

They are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. They are a framework for root vices, not the same as the Ten Commandments.

You know them by reputation—rules carved in stone, handed down on a mountain. But what exactly do the Ten Commandments say, and why do Catholics, Protestants, and Jews count them differently? If you’ve ever tried to recite them in order or wondered how the Catholic version stacks up against Exodus 20, this plain-language breakdown will give you the full list, the biblical verses, and the simple meaning behind each one.

Number of Commandments in the Decalogue: 10 ·
Primary Biblical Source: Exodus 20:2-17 ·
Second Biblical Source: Deuteronomy 5:6-21 ·
Commandments about God (Protestant/Jewish division): 4 ·
Commandments about Other People (Protestant/Jewish division): 6 ·
Number of Commandments in Catholic tradition: 10 (different numbering and wording)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts

Found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 (The Catholic Company (Catholic retailer))
Ten commandments in both accounts (Hallow (Catholic prayer app))
Numbering differs between Catholic and Protestant traditions (Patrick Madrid Substack (apologetics writer))

2What’s unclear

Exact original Hebrew phrasing is debated for some words (EWTN (global Catholic network))
Whether Augustine formally set the Catholic numbering or it emerged earlier is not definitively known (Patrick Madrid Substack quoting Catechism 2066)
The order of the coveting commandments differs between Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 (Patrick Madrid Substack (apologetics writer))
Whether the prohibition on graven images was originally part of the first commandment or a separate command is debated among scholars (Catholic Answers (apologetics ministry))

3Timeline signal

Given to Moses at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20) (The Catholic Company)
Repeated in Deuteronomy 5 before entering the Promised Land (The Catholic Company)

4What’s next

Commandments remain central to moral teaching in Judaism and Christianity (EWTN)
Catholics apply them through the Catechism and Sunday worship obligations (Saint Cecilia Catholic Church (parish resource))

Before diving into the lists, understand these four key facts.

Four things to know about the Ten Commandments before diving into the lists.
Attribute	Detail
Original biblical source	Exodus 20:2-17 (and Deuteronomy 5:6-21)
Religious traditions that follow them	Judaism, Christianity (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox)
Also known as	The Decalogue (Greek ‘deka logoi’ – ten words)
Numbering difference	Catholic/Lutheran numbering merges first two and splits the last; Jewish/Protestant numbering splits first and merges last

What is the 10 commandments in order?

Two biblical passages give the full list. The most famous version appears in Exodus 20:2-17. Here is the traditional order used by Protestant and Jewish traditions, along with the short, memorizable form.

Exodus 20 list (Protestant/Jewish traditional order)

1. “You shall have no other gods before me” (Hallow (Catholic prayer app))
2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol” (Hallow)
3. “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God” (Hallow)
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Hallow)
5. “Honor your father and your mother” (Hallow)
6. “You shall not murder” (Hallow)
7. “You shall not commit adultery” (Hallow)
8. “You shall not steal” (Hallow)
9. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Hallow)
10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house… wife… or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Hallow)

Short form of the commandments

Put God first
No idols
Respect God’s name
Keep the Sabbath
Respect parents
Do not kill
Do not cheat on spouse
Do not steal
Do not lie
Do not be jealous of what others have

Bottom line: The Protestant/Jewish ordering treats the prohibition on idols as a separate commandment and merges coveting a neighbor’s spouse and goods into one. For anyone memorizing: the first four are about God, the last six about people.

The implication: This order reflects a clear division between duties to God and duties to neighbor, a structure that shapes both Jewish and Protestant moral education.

What are the Catholic 10 commandments?

The Catholic Church numbers the commandments differently, following a tradition that dates back to St. Augustine. The official wording used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and catechetical materials is distinct.

Catholic numbering and wording differences

1. “I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me” (combines prohibitions on other gods and idols) (The Catholic Company)
2. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (The Catholic Company)
3. “Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day” (The Catholic Company)
4. “Honor your father and your mother” (The Catholic Company)
5. “You shall not kill” (The Catholic Company)
6. “You shall not commit adultery” (The Catholic Company)
7. “You shall not steal” (The Catholic Company)
8. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (The Catholic Company)
9. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (The Catholic Company)
10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods” (The Catholic Company)

Catechism of the Catholic Church references

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Part Three, Section Two) presents the commandments in this same Augustinian order. According to the Catechism, the numbering “has varied somewhat in the history of the Church,” but the current division follows that established by St. Augustine (Patrick Madrid Substack quoting Catechism 2066).

The numbering divide

Catholics treat the prohibition on graven images as part of the first commandment, while Protestants separate it. That single difference reshuffles the entire list—and explains why the Catholic version splits the coveting rule into two. For Catholics learning the commandments today, the wording from the Catechism is the standard.

Bottom line: The Catholic list merges “no other gods” and “no idols” into one, then splits “do not covet” into two (spouse and goods). Anyone using Catholic study materials should memorize this ten-item sequence—it won’t match the Exodus 20 numbering but covers the same moral ground.

The catch: The reshuffling means a Catholic numbering of, say, “Honor your father and mother” is the fourth commandment, while in the Protestant list it is the fifth.

What are the 10 Commandments in the Bible verse?

The exact biblical text comes from two parallel passages. Below is the Exodus 20 version, with the Deuteronomy 5 parallel noted.

Exodus 20:1-17 verbatim

“And God spoke all these words: ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol…’”

Exodus 20:1-4 (NIV), via The Catholic Company

The passage continues through the full list, ending with the coveting command in verse 17.

Deuteronomy 5:6-21 parallel account

“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you… Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you…”

Deuteronomy 5:12-16 (NIV), cited by The Catholic Company

Deuteronomy repeats the same ten commandments with slight wording changes—for example, expanding the reason for Sabbath observance to include Israel’s redemption from slavery.

Why two versions?

Scholars believe Moses repeated the law to the new generation before entering Canaan. The Deuteronomy account adds an explicit link to the exodus (“Remember that you were slaves in Egypt… that is why the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day”) that Exodus 20 omits.

The pattern: The two versions underscore the covenant’s adaptability to different audiences while preserving the core moral demands.

What are the 10 Commandments in simple terms?

Each commandment can be reduced to a one-line principle. Here’s the practical meaning behind the ancient rules, based on Catholic teaching materials from EWTN (global Catholic network) and St. Cecilia’s parish resource.

Simplified explanations for each commandment

1. Put God first – Worship God alone and avoid anything that replaces him (money, status, power).
2. Respect God’s name – Use God’s name with reverence; no swearing or blasphemy.
3. Keep the Lord’s day holy – Attend Mass on Sundays and holy days, rest from unnecessary work.
4. Honor parents – Obey and care for your parents as long as they live.
5. Do not kill – Protect human life; avoid anger, hatred, and violence.
6. Do not commit adultery – Be faithful in marriage and chaste in thought and action.
7. Do not steal – Respect others’ property; pay fair wages and debts.
8. Do not lie – Tell the truth, especially when it reflects on someone’s reputation.
9. Do not covet your neighbor’s spouse – Guard against lust and envy in relationships.
10. Do not covet your neighbor’s goods – Be content with what you have; avoid greed.

Practical application of the commandments

EWTN explains that the fifth commandment “safeguards one’s own life and the lives of others” and that the sixth commandment “requires chastity in word and deed” (EWTN). In daily practice, the commandments act as a moral compass for relationships, work, and personal integrity.

The catch

Simple terms make the commandments easy to remember, but they don’t capture every nuance. The fifth commandment, for example, extends beyond killing to include anger and neglect—something a one-line summary inevitably flattens.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 (The Catholic Company)
There are exactly ten commandments in both accounts (Hallow)
Catholic and Protestant traditions number them differently (Patrick Madrid Substack)
The Catholic list follows the division associated with St. Augustine (Catholic Answers (apologetics ministry))

What’s unclear

Exact original Hebrew phrasing for some words is debated among scholars (EWTN)
Whether Augustine was the first to set the Catholic numbering or he followed an earlier tradition is not definitively known (Patrick Madrid Substack quoting Catechism 2066)
The order of the coveting commandments differs between Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 (Patrick Madrid Substack (apologetics writer))
Whether the prohibition on graven images was originally part of the first commandment or a separate command is debated among scholars (Catholic Answers (apologetics ministry))

These uncertainties remind readers that even foundational texts have interpretive nuance.

Key quotes from primary sources

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.”

Exodus 20:2-3 (NIV), the opening words of the Decalogue

“The Ten Commandments are part of the Old Covenant. They are summed up in the love of God and love of neighbor.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part Three, Section Two, cited by The Catholic Company

The pattern: both Jewish and Christian sources treat the commandments as a foundational moral law, but the Catholic tradition places them within a framework of grace and the New Covenant.

Bottom line: The Ten Commandments are not just a list of prohibitions—they are a relational covenant. For believers today, the challenge is not memorizing the ten rules but living them out in a world that often prizes convenience over conscience.

Additional sources

dummies.com

Readers seeking a concise list and order can refer to the Ten Commandments list for a clear explanation.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Ten Commandments in the Bible?

They are a set of ten divine laws given to Moses on Mount Sinai, recorded in Exodus 20:2-17 and repeated in Deuteronomy 5:6-21. They form the basis of moral law in Judaism and Christianity.

How do the Catholic and Protestant Ten Commandments differ?

Catholics merge the prohibitions on other gods and idols into the first commandment, then split the covet command into two (wife and goods). Protestants treat “no idols” as a separate second commandment and merge the covet commands into one.

Are the Ten Commandments in the New Testament?

The New Testament does not list them as a formal set, but Jesus references many of them (e.g., Matthew 19:17-19 lists several). Paul also alludes to the commandments in Romans 13:9.

What is the story of the Ten Commandments?

After the Exodus from Egypt, God called Moses to the top of Mount Sinai and gave him the commandments written on two stone tablets. When Moses descended and saw the Israelites worshiping a golden calf, he broke the tablets in anger. Later, God inscribed a second set (Exodus 34).

Does God forgive all sins according to the Bible?

Christian teaching holds that God forgives all sins when a person repents, with the exception of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29). The Ten Commandments themselves do not list unforgivable sins.

What are the seven deadly sins (Catholic list)?

The seven deadly sins are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. They are not the same as the Ten Commandments but are a traditional Catholic framework for understanding root vices.