from Dr. Martin Luther's Small Catechism
| The First Commandment Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
What does this mean?
We should fear, love and trust in God above all things. |
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| The Second Commandment Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord,
thy God, in vain.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not curse, swear, use witchcraft,
lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray,
praise, and give thanks. |
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| The Third Commandment Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
(Thou shalt sanctify the holy day.)
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not despise preaching and His Word,
but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it. |
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| The Fourth Commandment Thou shalt honor thy father and thy
mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the
earth.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not despise our parents and masters,
nor provoke them to anger, but give them honor, serve and obey them, and
hold them in love and esteem. |
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| The Fifth Commandment Thou shalt not kill.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we many not hurt nor harm our neighbor in
his body, but help and befriend him in every bodily need. |
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| The Sixth Commandment Thou shalt not commit adultery.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may lead a chaste and decent life in
word and deed, and each love and honor his spouse. |
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| The Seventh Commandment Thou shalt not steal.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not take our neighbor's money or
goods, nor get them by false ware or dealing, but help him to improve and
protect his property and business. |
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| The Eighth Commandment Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbor.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray,
slander, nor defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and put
the best construction on everything. |
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| The Ninth Commandment Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not craftily seek to get our
neighbor's inheritance or house, nor obtain it by a show of right, but help
and be of service to him in keeping it. |
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| The Tenth Commandment Thou shalt not covet they neighbor's wife,
nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that
is thy neighbor's.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not estrange, force, or entice away
from our neighbor his wife, servants, or cattle, but urge them to stay and
do their duty. |
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| The Close of the Commandments What does God say of all these
Commandments?
He says thus: 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, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and
keep My Commandments.
What does this mean?
God threatens to punish all that transgress theses Commandments. Therefore
we should fear His wrath and not act contrary to them. But He promises grace
and every blessing to all that keep these Commandments. Therefore we should
also love and trust in Him and willingly do according to His Commandments. |
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The 10 Commandments can be found in Exodus 20:1-17.
God's Word
on the Commandments is specifically Exodus 20:5b-6.
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