What are the Ten Commandments, and how does the Church count them?

The Ten Commandments are God's covenant instructions given to Israel through Moses. Jesus confirmed them and revealed that their heart is love of God and neighbor (Mt 22:37-40).

The Catholic numbering. In the traditional Catholic catechetical form, the commandments are:

1. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

The full biblical texts are found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The shorter catechetical wording helps with memorization, while the complete passages give the commandments their fuller context.

Why Catholics number them differently. Scripture calls them the Ten Words, but the biblical text does not place a number beside each command. Different traditions therefore divide the same text differently (CCC 2066). Catholics follow the numbering associated with St. Augustine. The prohibition of idolatry is included within the First Commandment, while the prohibition against coveting is divided into the Ninth and Tenth Commandments.

Many Eastern Christians place the prohibition against idols in a separate commandment and treat coveting as one commandment. Some Protestant traditions do the same. The numbering differs, but no biblical command is removed. Catholic teaching strongly condemns idolatry and the worship of images as gods (CCC 2112-2114).

How Christians keep them. The first three commandments concern love of God. The remaining seven concern love of neighbor. Jesus did not abolish the commandments. He brought them to fulfillment and called His disciples to an interior obedience that reaches the heart (Mt 5:17-22). Hatred can violate the spirit of the Fifth Commandment, and lust violates the purity required by the Sixth and Ninth (Mt 5:27-28).

The commandments express serious obligations, though particular offenses can involve light matter (CCC 2072-2073). Use them for a daily examination of conscience. Ask where you have failed in worship, speech, family duties, respect for life, chastity, honesty, truthfulness, and freedom from greed. Then ask Christ for the grace to love as He commands.