A Question That Surprises Many Believers
If you grew up in church, you’ve probably memorized the Ten Commandments — those timeless laws God gave Moses on Mount Sinai.
But have you ever noticed that Catholics and Protestants number them differently?
For a long time, I didn’t even know that was a thing. When I finally compared the two lists, I wondered: Did someone change God’s law?
The truth is gentler and more beautiful. Both traditions honour the same words of Scripture; they simply organize them differently. Behind that difference lies a story of history, theology, and how believers have tried for centuries to keep God’s truth close to the heart.
When God First Spoke the Commandments
Picture the scene — clouds rolling over Sinai, thunder echoing, Moses trembling before a burning mountain.
God wasn’t giving rules to restrict people; He was offering a covenant of love to protect their freedom.
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” — Exodus 20:2
That opening line reminds us that grace came first. God rescued His people before He gave them laws. The commandments were not a contract to earn His favor but a roadmap for living in freedom.
Why the Lists Look Different
The Bible never labels the commandments “one, two, three.” It simply tells the story.
Early teachers had to decide where each commandment began and ended, and over centuries two main patterns formed:
- Around the 4th century, St. Augustine of Hippo grouped them into the version the Catholic Church still teaches.
- During the Reformation (16th century), Martin Luther and John Calvin reorganized them for simpler public teaching.
Both draw from the same Hebrew text of Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 — the difference is about grouping, not changing God’s Word.
The Catholic List
- I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before Me.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
- Honour your father and your mother.
- You shall not kill.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness.
- You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife.
- You shall not covet your neighbour’s goods.
Why Catholics Divide It This Way
Catholics see the commandment against idols as part of the first commandment about worshiping only God — because idolatry is simply another way of serving a false god.
Then they split the final line about coveting into two parts: one dealing with desire for people, another with desire for possessions.
It reflects a moral focus on the heart behind the action. Sin doesn’t begin with hands; it begins with thought and desire.
The Protestant List
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
- You shall not make for yourself any graven image.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honour your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness.
- You shall not covet.
Why Protestants Separate the Idol Command
Reformation leaders wanted to highlight the danger of anything that might take God’s place — statues, wealth, even human pride.
They combined all forms of coveting into one, teaching that envy and greed spring from the same restless heart.
Their list emphasizes pure worship and personal accountability before God.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Focus | Catholic View | Protestant View |
|---|---|---|
| Idolatry | Included within “no other gods” | Separate commandment |
| Coveting | Split in two (wife / goods) | Combined |
| Sabbath | “Keep holy the Lord’s Day” (Sunday) | “Remember the Sabbath” (Saturday or symbolic rest) |
| Theological Source | St. Augustine (4th c.) | Reformation (16th c.) |
| Main Emphasis | Purity of heart and motive | Purity of worship and Word |
Different rhythms — same music.
No, Catholics Didn’t Remove a Commandment
Some critics online claim the Catholic Church deleted the command against idols. That’s simply not true.
Open any Catholic Bible and read Exodus 20: the verses are all there. The difference lies only in how they’re summarized for catechism.
It’s like writing the same song in two keys — the melody remains.
Two Ways of Understanding, One Message
The Catholic Lens
For Catholics, Scripture and sacred tradition work together. The commandments teach not just what to avoid but who to become — people shaped by love.
That’s why Augustine’s version ends with two internal battles: lust and greed. God’s law is as much about cleansing motives as controlling behaviour.
The Protestant Lens
For Protestants, Scripture interprets itself. The numbering stresses direct obedience to God’s Word without adding church authority.
It’s an echo of the Reformation’s heartbeat: “The Bible alone.”
Different methods, same Master.
The Jewish Foundation
Jewish teachers often count “I am the Lord your God” as the first commandment — not a rule but a relationship.
That reminder shapes both Christian versions: God introduces Himself before He instructs us.
Every commandment grows from that love story.
What Jesus Said
When people asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, He didn’t quote a number.
He said:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself.” — Matthew 22:37–39
The Ten Commandments are simply these two loves written in detail: the first three about loving God, the rest about loving people.
My Personal Reflection — What Writing This Taught Me
When I first discovered the different lists, I felt uneasy. How could something so sacred look different on paper?
But as I studied, I realized God’s heart was the same in both. The Commandments weren’t meant to be legal puzzles — they’re invitations.
Since then, I’ve tried to stop quoting them mechanically and start living them deliberately: choosing honesty over convenience, gratitude over comparison, stillness over hurry.
Every time I stumble back to those words, I hear not thunder from Sinai but mercy calling me home.
Living the Commandments in a Modern World
- Put God first — above screens, schedules, and self-image.
- Speak His name with honour — let gratitude replace empty words.
- Protect your rest — worship, slow down, breathe.
- Honour your family — they are your first classroom of love.
- Guard life and purity — choose compassion over anger.
- Be truthful online and off.
- Practice contentment. Gratitude ends coveting faster than willpower.
The tablets may be ancient, but the wisdom fits every century.
Common Questions
Did one side change Scripture? No. Both use the same verses.
Which list did Jesus use? He quoted the moral principles, not the numbers.
Which should I follow? Either — the goal is obedience born from love, not perfect numbering.
A Final Thought
When you stand before God, He won’t ask which version you memorized.
He’ll ask how you lived the truth behind it.
The Ten Commandments aren’t competing charts of morality — they’re a shared heartbeat that still calls believers to holiness, humility, and harmony.
Different lists. Same Lord. One timeless law of love.
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