What Are The Ten Commandments ?

      The 10 commandments summarize the moral teaching of the bible.  Although the examples are from that culture, the laws are timeless, applying to all people in all times - (i.e. lusting after another person's donkey might be rare today, but lusting after other people's stuff happens all the time).   Christians don't believe these are just some religious ideas, we believe they are written into the way reality works, they are about what it means to be a human being.  When we break these laws, we break ourselves.  Here are the 10 commandments :

•  No other gods, only me.
   

•  No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, your God, and I’m a most jealous God. I hold parents responsible for any sins they pass on to their children to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation. But I’m lovingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.
   

•  No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter; God won’t put up with the irreverent use of his name.
   

•  No working on the Sabbath; keep it holy just as God, your God, commanded you. Work six days, doing everything you have to do, but the seventh day is a Sabbath, a Rest Day—no work: not you, your son, your daughter, your servant, your maid, your ox, your donkey (or any of your animals), and not even the foreigner visiting your town. That way your servants and maids will get the same rest as you. Don’t ever forget that you were slaves in Egypt and God, your God, got you out of there in a powerful show of strength. That’s why God, your God, commands you to observe the day of Sabbath rest.
   

•  Respect your father and mother—God, your God, commands it! You’ll have a long life; the land that God is giving you will treat you well.
   

•  No murder.
   

•  No adultery.
   

•  No stealing.
   

•  No lies about your neighbor.
   

•  No coveting your neighbor’s wife. And no lusting for his house, field, servant, maid, ox, or donkey either—nothing that belongs to your neighbor!

(The 10 Commandments are found in two places in the bible:  Exodus 20:3-17 and Deuteronomy 5:7-21.  The translation above comes from: Peterson, E. H. 2003. The Message : The Bible in contemporary language . NavPress: Colorado Springs, Colo.)

What is the goal behind all the moral teaching in the bible ? The 10 Commandments and in fact all the moral laws of the bible were further summarized by Jesus when someone asked him what was the most important moral law.  In Matthew chapter 22 we read:

One of them, a lawyer, asked Jesus a question, testing Him,
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
And Jesus said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
"This is the great and foremost commandment.
"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."
(Matthew 22:35-40)