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What the Bible Says About Decalogue

Overview

The Bible addresses decalogue across 54 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Matthew. Closely related themes include Commandments, Commandments, the Ten, Law of God, the and Desert, Journey of Israel Through The. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jesus and Moses.

Key Bible verses about decalogue

Old Testament

Exodus

Exodus 20:1

And God spake all these words, saying,

Exodus 20:2

I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. bondage: Heb. servants

Exodus 20:3

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Exodus 20:4

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Exodus 20:5

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Exodus 20:6

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:7

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Exodus 20:8

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exodus 20:9

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Exodus 20:10

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Exodus 20:11

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Exodus 20:12

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Exodus 20:13

Thou shalt not kill.

Exodus 20:14

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Exodus 20:15

Thou shalt not steal.

Exodus 20:16

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Exodus 20:17

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Exodus 34:27

And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.

Exodus 34:28

And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. commandments: Heb. words

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 5:4

The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

Deuteronomy 5:5

(I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,

Deuteronomy 5:6

I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. bondage: Heb. servants

Deuteronomy 5:7

Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

Deuteronomy 5:8

Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

Deuteronomy 5:9

Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,

Deuteronomy 5:10

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 5:11

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Deuteronomy 5:12

Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

Deuteronomy 5:13

Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

Deuteronomy 5:14

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

Deuteronomy 5:15

And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

Deuteronomy 5:16

Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 5:17

Thou shalt not kill.

Deuteronomy 5:18

Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

Deuteronomy 5:19

Neither shalt thou steal.

Deuteronomy 5:20

Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Deuteronomy 5:21

Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Deuteronomy 5:22

These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

New Testament

Matthew

Matthew 19:18

He saith unto him, Which?1161 Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

Matthew 19:19

Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22:34

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

Matthew 22:35

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

Matthew 22:36

Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Matthew 22:37

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Matthew 22:38

This is the first and great commandment.

Matthew 22:39

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22:40

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

People in the Bible and decalogue

Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.

In the Bible dictionary

Studying decalogue for yourself

  • Begin with Exodus 20:1, then read the passages below in canonical order.
  • Compare how Exodus, Deuteronomy and Matthew each treat the theme.
  • Consider the lives of Jesus and Moses and how their stories intersect with it.
  • Widen the study to related themes: Commandments, Commandments, the Ten, Law of God, the and Desert, Journey of Israel Through The.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about decalogue?

The Bible addresses decalogue across 54 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Matthew. Closely related themes include Commandments, Commandments, the Ten, Law of God, the and Desert, Journey of Israel Through The. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jesus and Moses.

How many Bible verses are about decalogue?

The Bible references decalogue in 54 verses (King James Version).

Where does the Bible first mention decalogue?

In canonical order, the first of these passages is Exodus 20:1: “And God spake all these words, saying,”

Which people in the Bible are associated with decalogue?

Jesus and Moses.

Preach & teach

Outline a sermon or build a study series on decalogue.

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