What are the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments are God’s foundational laws given to Israel through Moses — ten core commands covering love for God and love for neighbor.
They are given in Exodus 20 (and repeated in Deuteronomy 5). The first four concern our relationship with God: have no other gods, make no idols, do not misuse God’s name, and keep the Sabbath holy. The last six concern our relationships with others: honor your parents, and do not murder, commit adultery, steal, give false testimony, or covet.
Jesus summarized the whole law in two commands that match these two halves: love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37–40). The commandments show what that love looks like in practice.
For Christians, the commandments reveal God’s character and expose our need for grace — a standard we cannot keep perfectly, which points us to the Savior who did.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.