“I, the Lord, am your God. . . . You shall not have other Gods besides me.” (Ex 20:2-3) —CCC, nos. 2083-2141
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God In vain.” (Ex 20:7) —CCC, nos. 2142-2167
Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day. —CCC, nOS. 2168-2195
Honor your father and your mother. —CCC, nOS. 2196-2257
You shall not kill. —CCC, nOS. 2258-2330
You shall not commit adultery. —CCC, nOS. 2331-2400
You shall not steal. —CCC, nOS. 2401-2463
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. —CCC, nOS. 2464-2513
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. —CCC, nOS. 2514-2533
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods. —CCC, nOS. 2534-2557
God helps us in many different ways to live a moral life. He gives us grace, which awakens in us the desire to say no to temptation and sin and to choose only that which is good. He gives us the Theological and Cardinal Virtues and the grace to practice human virtues so that we can grow stronger in them. God gives us help and grace through the Church and through our reception of the Sacraments. He also teaches us how we should live. One way he does this is by giving us laws to guide our actions. The Ten Commandments are laws that God has revealed to us. Heeding the guidance God gives us in the Commandments will help us know how to serve God and how we should live with each other. It also helps us to be open to the grace of the Holy Spirit and what God can accomplish in us and through us by that grace.
You can read more from theUnited States Catholic Catechism for Adults, order your own copy, or read questions about itat theUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops website.
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FAQs
The Ten Commandments establish rules of worship and forbid actions such as murder, theft, and adultery. They reflect a morality common to the ancient Middle East.
How can the Ten Commandments relate to your life? ›
The Ten Commandments, writes Mary Elizabeth Sperry, remain important because they teach us habits that we need to develop to live life in right relationship with God, self, others, and things: creating priorities, seeking intimacy, spending time, giving respect, recognizing dignity, maintaining integrity, living ...
Why are the Ten Commandments still relevant? ›
Nine of the laws found in the Ten Commandments are repeated as a part of the New Covenant and must be obeyed today. These laws are binding today, not because they were a part of the Old Covenant, but because they are a part of the New Testament.
Why are the 10 Commandments important to our modern society? ›
As those 10 utterances were memorialized and universalized, they provided a code of conduct that honored family, protected life, secured property, defined boundaries, enhanced trust and thereby secured the foundation for cohesive and productive social interaction.
How have the Ten Commandments influenced life today? ›
It is axiomatic that many of the principles contained in the Ten Commandments are fundamental to the Western legal tradition. Prohibitions on murder, theft, and perjury are found in nearly every legal code.
What are the most important commandments and why? ›
New Testament accounts
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
How can we fulfill the commandments in our daily life? ›
They have to learn what actions please God and what actions He says not to do. This is the basic Old Testament law. As each of us matures, we have to allow the Spirit to teach us the fulfillment of the laws. We have to learn to internalize the law, to obey with our hearts and minds.
What was the significance of the Ten Commandments to the lives of Israelites? ›
Therefore, God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses to share with the Israelites as laws to live by as followers of their Holy God. God wanted them to be different from those who did not know their Lord. In return, God promised to continue be with them and bless them as His people.
Why did God give us the Ten Commandments Catholic? ›
As described in the Old Testament books Exodus and Deuteronomy, the Commandments form part of a covenant offered by God to the Israelites to free them from the spiritual slavery of sin.
Why were the 10 Commandments relevant to Jesus? ›
Jesus had little regard for their law, which He called “the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6-7). By listing a few of the 10 Commandments, He was clarifying exactly which commandments were necessary for eternal life: God's 10 Commandments, not the cumbersome laws of the Pharisees.
Using this principle, consider that there can be no doubt that, of all the Ten Commandments held in respect and honor by the people of the world, the Sabbath commandment is the least of the ten. It is the least in terms of the world's regard and respect when compared with the other nine.
Do the 10 Commandments still exist? ›
Described as a “national treasure” of Israel, the stone was first uncovered in 1913 during excavations for a railroad station near Yavneh in Israel and is the only intact tablet version of the Commandments thought to exist.
How are the 10 Commandments important in our daily life? ›
The Ten Commandments teach about respecting God, being honest, honoring our parents, keeping the Sabbath day holy, and being good neighbors. These rules are as important today as they were thousands of years ago.
How do the 10 Commandments affect people's lives? ›
They illustrate what an enormous impact God's law has on how we make wise decisions in our work, how we spend our money, and how we relate to other people in our communities and societies.
What is the most important message of the Ten Commandments? ›
The theme of the 10 Commandments is love toward God that produces love toward others. Each of the ten laws reflects the command to love God supremely. Thus, loving God leads to respect for His name.
What is the most important rule in the Ten Commandments? ›
“'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).
What did Jesus say about the Ten Commandments? ›
Jesus reciting the Commandments
Jesus answered that the basic starting point was keeping the Commandments, and then He listed five of them: “'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother'” (Luke 18:20).
What do the 10 Commandments reveal about God? ›
The Ten Commandments are a mirror reflecting the glory of God. They are an exposition of His love. As redeemed people who bear His name in the world, God calls us to live lives of love that reflect who He is. And what that looks like is spelled out in the Ten Commandments.
How do we use the Ten Commandments today? ›
Today, you can apply the Ten Commandments in the same way Jesus showed us. Live your life striving to not only keep the letter of the Commandments, but also to fulfill them in spirit through a life of service and love for others. To help you keep them fully from your heart, God promises to give you His Holy Spirit.
