Long ago, God led a people called Israel out of slavery in Egypt. Moses, who had been chosen by God, led this people through the desert. One day they came to a great mountain called Sinai. Here God wanted to speak to them.
God said to Moses, “Come to the mountain, for I have important words for my people.” Moses climbed up the high mountain while the people waited below. The mountain was shrouded in clouds, and lightning flashed as a sign that God was on the mountain.
At the top of the mountain, God spoke to Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments. These commandments were special rules so that people would know how to live well with each other and with God.
Here are the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses:
- You shall have no other god than me. God wants us to believe and trust only Him.
- You shall not make idols for yourself. We are not to worship or worship figures, but only God.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. We are to pronounce God’s name with respect and reverence.
- Remember the Sabbath day that you keep it holy. Once a week we are to rest and rejoice in God.
- Honor your father and mother. We are to respect and love our parents.
- Thou shalt not kill. God wants us to value and preserve life.
- Thou shalt not commit adultery. We are to be faithful to those we love.
- Thou shalt not steal. We should be honest and not take anything that does not belong to us.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness. We should always tell the truth and not lie to anyone.
- Thou shalt not covet. We are to be content with what we have and not envy others.
After God gave Moses the commandments, Moses came down from the mountain and told the people all that God had said. People listened attentively, and they wanted to live according to God’s commandments so that they could live together in peace and joy.
Message of history
God gave us the Ten Commandments to show us how to live well together. When we listen to God’s rules, it helps us to be loving and respectful of others.
Bible passage
The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20:1-17. Here is the relevant text from the Schlachter 2000 translation:
*”And God spoke all these words, saying:
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.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, nor any image of anything that is up in heaven, or down on the earth, or in the water under the earth. Do not worship them or serve them! For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, who punishes the iniquity of the fathers against the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but who shows mercy to thousands who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not leave unpunished the one who takes his name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, that you may keep it holy. Six days you shall work and do all your works; but on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. You shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord has blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day.
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet the house of thy neighbor; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.” *
