Exodus 20
God speaks the Ten Commandments directly to the people from Mount Sinai, covering duties toward God (no other gods, no idols, no taking God's name in vain, keep the Sabbath) and toward others (honour parents, no murder, adultery, theft, false witness, or coveting). The people tremble and ask Moses to speak to them instead of God.
And God spoke all these words:
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
You shall have no other gods before Me.
You 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.
You 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,
but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those 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 anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord — do not swear oaths
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
Read Matthew 5 ›Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Remember the Sabbath — Come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Read Matthew 11 ›Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but 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.
For 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.
Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Honor your father and mother — Jesus rebukes Pharisees on Corban
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
Read Matthew 15 ›Honor your father and mother — first commandment with a promise
“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise),
Read Ephesians 6 ›You shall not murder.
You shall not murder — but I tell you, anyone who is angry
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
Read Matthew 5 ›'You have heard that it was said: You shall not murder.' Jesus quotes the commandment, then goes deeper — anger itself is the root issue.
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
Read Matthew 5 ›You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not commit adultery — but I tell you, anyone who looks lustfully
You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
Read Matthew 5 ›'You shall not commit adultery.' Again Jesus quotes the commandment, then reveals it's about the heart, not just actions.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
Read Matthew 5 ›You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You 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.”
When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance.
“Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”
“Do not be afraid,” Moses replied. “For God has come to test you, so that the fear of Him may be before you, to keep you from sinning.”
And the people stood at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “This is what you are to tell the Israelites: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven.
You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.
You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.
And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’
Have a question about Exodus 20?
On Doxa, you can have a personal conversation about any scripture. Ask questions, explore context, and discover connections.
What does "obedience" mean in Exodus 20?
How does Exodus 20 connect to the rest of the Bible?
Why is this chapter important for my life?
Real stories about these themes
Read testimonies from real people connected to what you're reading.
Explore Related Topics
Engage with Exodus 20 in a fresh way
On the Doxa App you can have a personal interaction about any Scripture. Ask questions and even debate.
