Exodus 20:1-21

The Ten Commandments

1 z And a God spoke all these words, saying,

2 b "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 c "You shall have no other gods before 1 me.

4 d "You shall not make for yourself a carved 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. 5 e You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am f a jealous God, g visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands 2 of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 h "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.

8 i "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 j Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the k seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the l sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For m in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 n "Honor your father and your mother, o that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 p "You shall not murder. 3

14 q "You shall not commit adultery.

15 r "You shall not steal.

16 s "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 t "You shall not covet u your neighbor's house; v you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

18 Now when all the people saw w the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid 4 and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, x "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die." 20 y Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to z test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin." 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the a thick darkness where God was.

  1. Cross References
    Exodus 20:1 - 17
    And God spoke all these words, saying.
    Deuteronomy 5:6 - 21
    'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
  2. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 5:22
    These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
  3. Cross References
    Leviticus 26:13
    I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.
    Psalms 81:10
    I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
    Hosea 13:4
    But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.
  4. Cross References
    2 Kings 17:35
    The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, "You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them.
    Jeremiah 25:6
    Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.
    Jeremiah 35:15
    I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, 'Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.' But you did not incline your ear or listen to me.
  5. Cross References
    Leviticus 26:1
    You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.
    Deuteronomy 27:15
    "'Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.' And all the people shall answer and say, 'Amen.'
    Psalms 97:7
    All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!
    Acts 17:29
    Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
  6. Cross References
    Exodus 23:24
    You shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces.
    Joshua 23:7
    That you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them.
  7. Cross References
    Exodus 34:14
    (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God).
    Deuteronomy 4:24
    For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
    Deuteronomy 6:15
    For the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God - lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
    Joshua 24:19
    But Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.
    Nahum 1:2
    The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.
  8. Cross References
    Exodus 34:7
    Keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving...
    Numbers 14:18
    'The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in ste...
    Psalms 79:8
    Do not remember against us our former iniquitie...
    Psalms 109:14
    May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered b...
    Isaiah 65:6 - 7
    Behold, it is written before me: "I will not ke...
    Jeremiah 32:18
    You show steadfast love to thousands, but you r...
  9. Cross References
    Leviticus 19:12
    You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.
    Matthew 5:34 - 35
    But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God.
    James 5:12
    But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
  10. Cross References
    Leviticus 19:3
    Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.
    Leviticus 19:30
    You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.
    Leviticus 26:2
    You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.
    Exodus 31:13 - 17
    You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you.
  11. Cross References
    Exodus 23:12
    Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.
    Exodus 34:21
    Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
    Exodus 35:2
    Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.
    Leviticus 23:3
    Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.
    Luke 13:14
    But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 16:26
    Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.
    Exodus 31:15
    Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death.
    Genesis 2:2 - 3
    And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
    Ezekiel 20:12
    Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
    Numbers 15:32 - 36
    While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.
  13. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:16 - 19
    Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself!
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 1:1 - 2:3
    In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
  15. Cross References
    Leviticus 19:3
    Every one of you shall revere his mother and hi...
    Matthew 15:4
    For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your ...
    Matthew 19:19
    Honor your father and mother, and, You shall lo...
    Mark 7:10
    For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mot...
    Mark 10:19
    You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do n...
    Luke 18:20
    You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adult...
    Ephesians 6:2
    Honor your father and mother" (this is the firs...
    Jeremiah 35:18 - 19
    But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah sai...
  16. Cross References
    Ephesians 6:3
    "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land."
  17. Cross References
    Matthew 5:21
    "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'
    Matthew 19:18
    He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness.
    Romans 13:9
    For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
    Genesis 9:5 - 6
    And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.
    1 John 3:15
    Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
  18. Cross References
    Leviticus 18:20
    And you shall not lie sexually with your neighb...
    Deuteronomy 22:22
    If a man is found lying with the wife of anothe...
    Proverbs 6:32
    He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who doe...
    1 Corinthians 6:9
    Or do you not know that the unrighteous will no...
    Hebrews 13:4
    Let marriage be held in honor among all, and le...
    Matthew 5:27
    "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall no...
    Romans 13:9
    For the commandments, "You shall not commit adu...
  19. Cross References
    Leviticus 19:11
    You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.
    Ephesians 4:28
    Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
    Matthew 19:18
    He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness.
    Romans 13:9
    For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 23:1
    You shall not spread a false report. You shall ...
    Proverbs 19:5
    A false witness will not go unpunished, and he ...
    Proverbs 19:9
    A false witness will not go unpunished, and he ...
    Proverbs 21:28
    A false witness will perish, but the word of a ...
    Proverbs 24:28
    Be not a witness against your neighbor without ...
    Proverbs 25:18
    A man who bears false witness against his neigh...
    Matthew 19:18
    He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "...
    Deuteronomy 19:16 - 20
    If a malicious witness arises to accuse a perso...
  21. Cross References
    Luke 12:15
    And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your...
    Ephesians 5:3
    But sexual immorality and all impurity or covet...
    Ephesians 5:5
    For you may be sure of this, that everyone who ...
    Romans 7:7
    What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By...
    Romans 13:9
    For the commandments, "You shall not commit adu...
    Colossians 3:5
    Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: ...
    Hebrews 13:5
    Keep your life free from love of money, and be ...
  22. Cross References
    Micah 2:2
    They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.
  23. Cross References
    Jeremiah 5:8
    They were well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor's wife.
    Matthew 5:28
    But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
  24. Cross References
    Hebrews 12:18
    For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest
  25. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 5:25
    Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die.
    Deuteronomy 5:27
    Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.
    Deuteronomy 18:16
    Just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.
    Galatians 3:19 - 20
    Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.
    Hebrews 12:19
    And the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.
  26. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:20
    And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
  27. Cross References
    Genesis 22:1
    After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I.
    Deuteronomy 13:3
    You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
  28. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:11
    And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom.
    2 Samuel 22:10
    He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.
    1 Kings 8:12
    Then Solomon said, "The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.
    Psalms 18:9
    He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.
    Psalms 97:2
    Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.