| First Commandment |
Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. |
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What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things. |
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| Second Commandment |
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain. |
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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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| Third Commandment |
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Thou shalt sanctify the holy day.) |
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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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| 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. |
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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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| Fifth Commandment |
Thou shalt not kill. |
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What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may not hurt nor harm our neighbor in his body, but help and befriend him in every bodily need. |
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| Sixth Commandment |
Thou shalt not commit adultery. |
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What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may lead a caste and decent life in word and deed, and each love and honor his spouse. |
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| Seventh Commandment |
Thou shalt not steal. |
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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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| Eighth Commandment |
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. |
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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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| Ninth Commandment |
Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s house. |
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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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| Tenth Commandment |
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s. |
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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. |
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What does this mean? God threatens to punish all that transgress these 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. |
