Exodus 20:1-17
Words Spoken from the Mountain
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1And God spoke all these words:
2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3You shall have no other gods before Me.
4You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.
5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
8Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.
11For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
12Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
13You shall not murder.
14You shall not commit adultery.
15You shall not steal.
16You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Berean Standard Bible
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God begins the commandments by naming Himself as the LORD who brought Israel out of slavery. The people hearing His law have already received His rescue. He now teaches them the life that belongs to a people living before Him.
They must have no other gods and make no image to worship. The LORD claims their undivided allegiance. He warns that hatred of Him brings judgment through generations and promises loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. His name must not be used in vain; it carries the authority of the God who speaks.
The Sabbath is to be kept holy in remembrance of God's creation and rest. Its rest reaches the whole household: children, servants, livestock, and the foreigner within the gates. A person cannot keep all the rest for himself while requiring everyone else to continue working.
The commands then name obligations close to home. Honor father and mother. Do not murder, commit adultery, steal, or bear false witness against a neighbor. These are concrete protections for life together under God.
The final command reaches desire itself. Israel must not covet a neighbor's spouse, house, or belongings. Obedience involves more than keeping harmful actions out of sight; God also addresses what the heart wants to take.
As Christians read these words, we recognize both their goodness and our own failures. Romans 3:19–26 explains that the law makes sin known and that justification comes freely by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The commandments give us no reason to boast. They call us to confess our sin, receive mercy, and learn grateful obedience.
Questions
1 How does God identify Himself before giving the commands?
AnswerAs the LORD who brought Israel out of Egypt and slavery. His law addresses a people He has rescued.
2 Who must share in Sabbath rest?
AnswerThe whole household, including children, servants, animals, and the foreigner within the gates. Rest is not reserved for the person with the most authority.
3 What relationships do the commands protect?
AnswerThey require honor for parents and protect life, marriage, property, truthful testimony, and a neighbor's household from covetous desire.
4 Why does the command against coveting reach beyond outward behavior?
AnswerIt addresses wanting what belongs to a neighbor. God cares about the desires from which our actions grow, even when no one else can see them.
What This Means for Us
Let the commandments search your own conduct before using them to judge someone else. A false account of a neighbor, a desire to take what is theirs, or careless use of God's name deserves honest confession. We need the forgiveness Christ provides, not a comparison that makes us look better.
Choose a specific response to the command that has exposed your need. Correct a false statement, return what belongs to someone else, or protect rest for a person who depends on you. Obedience is a grateful response to grace, and it should become visible in ordinary life.
Prayer
Lord, Your commands are good, and we have sinned against them. Forgive us through Jesus Christ. Teach us to love You with undivided hearts and to treat our neighbors with truthfulness, faithfulness, and care. Amen.
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