The Ten Commandments are probably one of the most familiar parts of the Bible. Even people who have never stepped foot in a church have heard of them. They show us how to honor God and how to live in peace with one another.

But here’s something many don’t realize until they dig deeper: Catholics and Protestants don’t list the commandments in exactly the same way. That doesn’t mean one group “removed” a commandment or changed the Bible—it simply comes down to how the text is divided for teaching and memorization.

If you’ve ever compared a Catholic catechism list with a Protestant Sunday school chart, you may have noticed the numbering looks a little different. This often leads to questions like:

• Did Catholics leave out the commandment against idols?
• Why do Protestants have fewer “covet” commandments?
• Does the difference really matter?

Related: The Ten Commandments in Exodus 34

What Are the Ten Commandments?

The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, appear in two main places in Scripture: Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. God gave them to Moses on Mount Sinai, carved on stone tablets, as a covenant with His people.

These commandments aren’t just ancient rules; they’re a moral framework that has shaped Jewish and Christian thought for thousands of years. They can be grouped into two big themes:

1. Love God — put Him first, honor His name, keep His day holy.
2. Love others — respect your parents, live morally, don’t steal, lie, or covet.

Both Catholics and Protestants agree on these principles. The only difference lies in how the verses are divided and numbered.

Catholic vs Christian Numbering of the Ten Commandments

Here is a simple chart:

Why the Numberings Differ

Why does the Catholic list look different?

• Catholic Tradition: St. Augustine, one of the early church fathers, grouped the first commandment (“no other gods”) and the command against idols together as one. To keep the list at ten, he split the command against coveting into two: coveting your neighbor’s wife and coveting your neighbor’s possessions.
• Protestant Tradition: Most Protestant churches follow the Hebrew division more closely, where the prohibition against idols is a separate commandment, and coveting (wife + goods) is combined into one.

Theological Emphasis Behind Each

• Catholic Emphasis:
  • By combining “no idols” with “no other gods,” Catholics stress that idolatry is just one way of failing to worship God alone.
  • By splitting coveting into two, they highlight purity of heart in marriage (not coveting a spouse) and detachment from materialism (not coveting possessions).
• Protestant Emphasis:
  • By separating out “no idols,” Protestants give special weight to God’s warning against idolatry.
  • They combine coveting into one broad command, focusing on contentment in all areas of life.

Do These Differences Change the Meaning?

The Message Stays the Same

Even though the numbering is different, the commandments themselves are unchanged. Both Catholics and Protestants are following the same words of Scripture.

Shared Moral Teachings

Both traditions agree on worshiping the one true God, rejecting idols, honoring God’s name and the Sabbath, respecting parents, living morally, and guarding the heart against wrong desires.

A Matter of Method

The difference is in how the commandments are grouped for teaching, not in their meaning. It’s like two outlines for the same lesson—the truth behind them remains the same.

Also Read: Catholicism vs Christianity: A Fresh Perspective on Their Differences

Practical Impact in Teaching

In Catholic Catechism

Catholic children usually learn the Augustine-style numbering, where the first commandment includes idols and the coveting command is divided into two parts.

In Protestant Sunday School

Protestant kids are taught the Exodus-style list, where the command against idols stands out clearly as its own commandment.

In Everyday Life

For most Christians, these differences rarely come up. Many don’t even notice until they see the two lists side by side. What truly matters is that both traditions follow the same God-given moral law.

Common Questions