Numbering the Ten Commandments

So Protestants and Catholics may not agree on which books should be in the Bible. And we don’t agree on which translations are best. But at least we can always agree on the Ten Commandments, right? Well, not exactly.

We agree on the scripture passages that the ten commandments come from (Deut 5 and Exodus 20). But scripture doesn’t enumerate them for us and break them into 10 nice, neat “commandments.” Because of this, there have been a number of different variations of the ten commandments as we know them today. The Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant versions are very close, but all differ in some way. So don’t be confused when you find out your protestant friend’s 4th commandment is different than your 4th commandment.

The main differences between the Jewish, Protestant and Catholic enumerations occur in how the 1st and 2nd and the 9th and 10th commandments are divvied up. Here’s how they break down:

Jewish Version
1. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of slavery in Egypt.
2. You shall have no other gods but me.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

The Jews called this the Decalogue (“ten words”) or the “ten sayings.” Which makes sense because they aren’t all commandments. The first one is just a statement - not a commandment.

Then Christianity enumerated them in a way that made them all commandments and put more emphasis on the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of marriage by distinguishing between coveting your neighbors wife and coveting your neighbors stuff. I like the change, myself.

Catholic (Traditional Christian) Version
1. I am the Lord your God: You shall not have strange Gods before me.
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
4. Honor your father and mother.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Then the Protestants came along over a thousand years later and protested that the Catholic Church worshiped graven images - which of course is not true at all. So they changed the enumeration accordingly.

Protestant Version
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
10. Thou shalt not covet.

If you compare these lists to the places in scripture they are pulled from, it’s easy to see where they came from. However, it’s important to remember that the enumeration of these commandments is not scripture itself. It is tradition. And it’s not dogmatic for Catholics either. What is important is the truth that they speak. Breaking them up and summarizing them like this is just a tool to help us understand it all better. But it’s good to be aware of the differences.

Many Protestants teach that the Ten Commandments have both an explicitly negative content, and an implied positive content. Besides those things that ought not to be done, there are things which ought not to be left undone.

vs 3

Enjoins that God must be known and acknowledged to be the only true God, and our God; and, to worship him and to make him known as he has been made known to us.

Forbids not worshiping and glorifying the true God as God, and as our God; and forbids giving worship and glory to any other, which is due to him alone.

vs 4–6

Requires receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God has appointed; and zeal in resisting those who would corrupt worship; because of God's ownership of us, and interest in our salvation.

Prohibits the worshiping of God by images, or by confusion of any creature with God, or any other way not appointed in his Word. (According to the traditional presbyterian and reformed view, this commandment also prohibits any man-made inventions to worship, which formed a basis for their criticism of Roman Catholic liturgies.)

vs 7

Enjoins a holy and a reverent use of God’s names, titles, attributes, ordinances, Word, and works.

Forbids all abuse of anything by which God makes Himself known. Some Protestants, especially in the tradition of pacifism, read this Commandment as forbidding any and all oaths, including judicial oaths and oaths of allegiance to a government, noting that human weakness cannot foretell whether such oaths will in fact be vain.

vs 8–11

Requires setting apart to God such set times as are appointed in his Word. Many Protestants are increasingly concerned that the values of the marketplace do not dominate entirely, and deprive people of leisure and energy needed for worship, for the creation of civilized culture. The setting of time apart from and free from the demands of commerce is one of the foundations of a decent human society.

Forbids the omission, or careless performance, of the religious duties, using the day for idleness, or for doing that which is in itself sinful; and prohibits requiring of others any such omission, or transgression, on the designated day.

vs 12

The only commandment with explicitly positive content, rather than a prohibition; it connects all of the temporal blessings of God, with reverence for and obedience to authority, and especially for father and mother.

Forbids doing anything against, or failing to give, the honor and duty which belongs to anyone, whether because they possess authority or because they are subject to authority.

vs 13

Requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

Forbids taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor, unjustly (Just taking of life includes self-defense, executions by the magistrate and times of war.); and, anything that tends toward depriving life. By extension it condemns even verbal abuse and anger, as exmplified by Christ's interpretation in the sermon on the mount.

vs 14

Enjoins protection of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior.

Forbids all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.

vs 15

Requires a defense of all lawful things that further the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.

Prohibits whatever deprives our neighbor, or ourselves, of lawfully gained wealth or outward estate.

vs 16

Requires the maintaining and promoting of truth between people, and of our neighbor’s good name and our own, especially in witness-bearing.

Forbids whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our neighbor’s, good name.

vs 17

Enjoins contentment with our own condition, and a charitable attitude toward our neighbor and all that is his, being thankful for his sake that he has whatever is beneficial to him, as we are for those things that benefit us.

Forbids discontent or envy, prohibits any grief over the betterment of our neighbor's estate, and all inordinate desires to obtain for ourselves, or scheming to wrest for our benefit, anything that is his.

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