The Ten Commandments
I. Systematic and Biblical Versions
The point after the number is what is found in the Catechism (Roman Catholics and Lutherans use the groupings that St. Augustine setup.) The entries marked Exodus (a) are from Exodus 20 2-17. The entries marked Deuteronomy (b) are from Deuteronomy 5:6-21. Deuteronomy means second law, so the versions of the commandments stated there are often short summaries of the version in Exodus.
1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
a . Exodus - I am the LORD your God, ho brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; or I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
b. Deuteronomy - I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
a. Exodus - You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
b. Deuteronomy - You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the LORD'S Day.
a. Exodus - Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day;
therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.
b. Deuteronomy - Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
a. Exodus - Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
b. Deuteronomy - Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.
a. Exodus - You shall not kill.
b. Deuteronomy - You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
a. Exodus - You shall not commit adultery.
b. Deuteronomy - Neither shall you commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
a. Exodus - You shall not steal.
b. Deuteronomy - Neither shall you steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
a. Exodus - You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
b. Deuteronomy - Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
a. Exodus - You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, ... continued in #10.
b. Deuteronomy - Neither shall you covet your neighbor's wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
a. Exodus - ... or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's.
b. Deuteronomy - You shall not desire anything that is your neighbor's.
II. Christian Understanding of the Ten Commandments
As a Christian, I would want to emphasize that the above commandments are 'negative' and relate to the positive two commands of Jesus.
1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.
2. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.
This leads to an interesting discussion of command-ethics versus love-ethics which I hope to explore in the future.
See also for more information:
Catechism of the Catholic Church - Entry on Ten Commandments - Also Commentary
Wikipedia Entry on Ten Commandments
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