A Quick Look at the Ten Commandments Quiz

Answer: Commandment #1

Commandment No. 1 is the correct answer. The commandment of having no other gods appears in Exodus 20:2-3. The first three verses of the chapter, in the NKJV, states: "And God spoke all these words, saying: 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me'."

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible have this to say about the first commandment: "God was not to be viewed by Israel as one God among many nor the best of the gods. He was and is the only living God. He, and He alone, was to be worshiped, obeyed and adored by the Israelites."

Answer: Commandment #10

Do not covet is the tenth commandment, as per Exodus 20:17. The verse in the NKJV states: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's." In my case, the verse could very well state "do not covet your neighbor's impressive pleasure boat that sits along side your property line in the winter months."

Answer: Commandment #8

Commandment #8 is the correct answer. The commandment is summed up in four words in the NKJV: "You shall not steal." The NIV uses identical words. Notes in the NKJV Study Bible have this to say about the commandment: "The eighth commandment protected the sanctity of property by prohibiting theft."

Answer: Commandment #3

Commandment No. 3, found in Exodus 20:7, is the correct answer. The verse in the NKJV states: "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain."

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible have this to say about Verse 7: "The third commandment confirms the sanctity of God's name. (See Exodus 3:14-15.) The revelation of God's name, Yahweh, entailed some risk. If it was broadcast among the people there was more likelihood that people would not hold it in reverence. Use of God's name in vain involved: (1) trivializing His name by regarding it as insignificant; (2) trying to use it to advance evil purposes by coaxing God to violate His character and purposes (one of the ways priests of false religions often use names of their false gods); and even (3) using it in worship thoughtlessly."

Answer: Commandment #7

Commandment No. 7, as per Exodus 20:14 states, "You shall not commit adultery." Notes in the NKJV Study Bible have this to say about the commandment: "God regarded the sanctity of marriage as a sacred trust similar to the sanctity of life. (Exodus 20:13) The marriage relationship was a symbol of faithfulness."

Answer: Commandment #5

Commandment No. 5 to honor your father and mother is found in Exodus 20:12. The verse in the NKJV states: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you."

I suspect this is a commandment many children wish was not included in the list God gave Moses on Mount Sinai. At the same time, I suspect it is a commandment some parents place a bit too much emphasis on.

Answer: Commandment #6

Commandment No. 6 is found in Exodus 20:13. Although murder is regarded as an extremely serious crime, the commandment is summed up in four words in the NKJV: "You shall not murder." The NIV uses identical wording.

Along with the commandment, "You shall not steal", the sixth commandment is the shortest.

Answer: Commandment #4

Commandment 4 is the correct answer. Exodus 20:8-11 in the NKJV gives instructions about keeping the seventh day of the week holy: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God.

In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.

Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."

Answer: Commandment #2

Commandment No. 2 is the correct answer. Exodus 20:4-6 in the NKJV states: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image -- any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

Answer: Commandment #9

Do not bear false witness is the ninth commandment. In the NKJV, Exodus 20:16 states: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." The NIV uses identical wording.

Here is a complete list of the ten commandments as they appear in the NKJV:

"And God spoke all these words, saying:
'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's'."