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Exodus 20

At Mount Sinai God speaks the Ten Commandments to Israel, beginning with who he is: the God who brought them out of slavery. The commands cover worship, rest, family, life, marriage, property, truth and desire. The people tremble and ask Moses to speak to them instead.

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Key verses

  • Verse 2The commandments start with what God has already done for them.
  • Verse 3God comes first, before anything else.
  • Verse 12Honouring parents comes with a promise.

And God spake all these words, saying,SelectedExodus 20:1Ask

I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.SelectedExodus 20:2Ask

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.SelectedExodus 20:3Ask

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:SelectedExodus 20:4Ask

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;SelectedExodus 20:5Ask

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.SelectedExodus 20:6Ask

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.SelectedExodus 20:7Ask

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.SelectedExodus 20:8Ask

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:SelectedExodus 20:9Ask

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:SelectedExodus 20:10Ask

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.SelectedExodus 20:11Ask

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.SelectedExodus 20:12Ask

Thou shalt not kill.SelectedExodus 20:13Ask

Thou shalt not commit adultery.SelectedExodus 20:14Ask

Thou shalt not steal.SelectedExodus 20:15Ask

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.SelectedExodus 20:16Ask

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.SelectedExodus 20:17Ask

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.SelectedExodus 20:18Ask

And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.SelectedExodus 20:19Ask

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.SelectedExodus 20:20Ask

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.SelectedExodus 20:21Ask

And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.SelectedExodus 20:22Ask

Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.SelectedExodus 20:23Ask

An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.SelectedExodus 20:24Ask

And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.SelectedExodus 20:25Ask

Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.SelectedExodus 20:26Ask

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