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The '''Ten Commandments,''' or the ''Decalogue,'' is a set of laws which, according to the [[Bible]], Moses said were given to him by God.  

The '''Ten Commandments,''' or the ''Decalogue,'' is a set of laws which, according to the [[Bible]], Moses said were given to him by God.  

There are two versions, generally similar but somewhat different in wording: Exodus 20:3-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The version in Deuteronomy adds the detail of Moses saying that God "wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me."

There are two versions, generally similar but somewhat different in wording: Exodus 20:3-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The version in Deuteronomy adds the detail of Moses saying that God "delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God. (KJV)"

The Bible itself refers to there being "''ten'' commandments" in Exodus 34:28 and Deuteronomy 4:13, but it is not clear how to parcel out the fifteen or sixteen verses into ten commandments, and different religious groups have done this in different ways. For example, "You shall have no other gods before me" and "You shall not make for yourself an idol" are sometimes considered to be two different commandments and sometimes as two parts of the same commandment.

The Bible itself refers to there being "''ten'' commandments" in Exodus 34:28 and Deuteronomy 4:13, but it is not clear how to parcel out the fifteen or sixteen verses into ten commandments, and different religious groups have done this in different ways. For example, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" and "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" (KJV - see below) are sometimes considered to be two different commandments and sometimes as two parts of the same commandment.

[[Protestant]]s assign the Fifth Commandment to "honor your father and mother," but in [[Catholic]] texts this is the Fourth Commandment.<ref>An atheistic website provides an interesting comparison among faiths with respect to the Ten Commandments, and many sources: http://www.positiveatheism.org/crt/whichcom.htm</ref>  The Jewish tradition is to call that requirement the Fifth Commandment.

[[Protestant]]s assign the Fifth Commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," but in [[Catholic]] texts this is the Fourth Commandment.<ref>An atheistic website provides an interesting comparison among faiths with respect to the Ten Commandments, and many sources: http://www.positiveatheism.org/crt/whichcom.htm</ref>  The Jewish tradition is to call that requirement the Fifth Commandment.

However, as Jews also recognise, the ''Torah'', or Law (the first five books of the Old Testament) actually contains not ten, but 613 positive and negative commandments. Thus, when Jesus is asked (at Matthew 22:34-36) which is the greatest commandment in the Law, he picks two of the other 603: 'You shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength' (Deuteronomy 6:5) and 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself' (Leviticus 19:18).  

However, as Jews also recognise, the ''Torah'', or Law (the first five books of the Old Testament) actually contains not ten, but 613 positive and negative commandments. Thus, when Jesus is asked (at Matthew 22:34-36) which is the greatest commandment in the Law, he picks two of the other 603: 'You shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength' (Deuteronomy 6:5) and 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself' (Leviticus 19:18).