The Ten Commandments: Catholic vs Protestant Numbering Explained

Catholics and Protestants share the same Ten Commandments from Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, but they number them differently. Catholics and Lutherans combine the commands about other gods and graven images into the First Commandment and divide coveting into the Ninth and Tenth, while most other Protestants and the Orthodox list “no graven images” as the Second Commandment and keep coveting as one Tenth Commandment.

Why do Catholics and Protestants number the Ten Commandments differently?

The short answer is that Scripture gives the commandments, but it does not print them as a numbered list. Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 contain the full covenant text, and Christian traditions have long grouped that text in slightly different ways for teaching, preaching, and memorization.

In the Catholic and Lutheran tradition, the arrangement associated with St. Augustine became especially influential. This pattern follows the flow of Deuteronomy by treating the command against other gods and the command against idols as one broad command about right worship, then separating the two kinds of coveting near the end.

Many Reformed churches, other Protestants, and the Orthodox use an older division found in writers such as Philo, Josephus, and other early sources. In that arrangement, the command not to make graven images is counted separately as the Second Commandment, and the coveting command remains one commandment at the end.

Jewish tradition uses another respected structure, often speaking of the “Ten Words.” In that counting, “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt” is counted as the first word, emphasizing God’s saving identity before the commands that follow.

The Catholic list in traditional catechetical form

The Catholic version of the Ten Commandments is often presented in a concise catechetical form so children, students, and adults can memorize it easily. This is the form commonly seen in Catholic classrooms, parish materials, and examination of conscience guides.

1. I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange gods before me.
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

The common Protestant list

The common Protestant list is rooted in the same biblical passages, but it divides the opening commands differently. This is why comparing the two often causes confusion even when both traditions are reading the same Scripture.

1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

Catholic and Protestant numbering side by side

A side-by-side view makes the difference much easier to see. The main shift happens at the beginning and end: the Catholic list combines right worship into the First Commandment and distinguishes between coveting a neighbor’s spouse and coveting a neighbor’s goods, while the common Protestant list separates images near the beginning and combines coveting at the end.

Does the Catholic version remove the commandment about images?

No. Neither version removes any commandment, and the Catholic teaching on images is fully included within the Catholic numbering system. In Catholic catechesis, the command against idolatry belongs within the First Commandment, which forbids worshiping anyone or anything in place of God.

This matters because a simple numbered chart can make it look as though a command has disappeared, when the real difference is grouping. Catholic teaching does not treat images as objects of worship. It distinguishes between worship due to God alone and the respectful use of sacred art as a reminder of Christ, the saints, and the truths of faith.

Likewise, Protestant and Orthodox traditions that count “no graven images” separately are not adding a commandment. They are making a different structural choice in how the same biblical text is divided. A respectful comparison helps readers see that the difference is mainly a question of numbering, wording, and catechetical emphasis.

How can you explain this to children?

A good approach is to begin with the shared foundation: the Ten Commandments come from God’s law in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, and Christians use them to learn love of God and love of neighbor. Once children understand that the source is the same, the numbering difference feels less like a contradiction and more like two ways of organizing the same lesson.

A Catholic Ten Commandments chart can be especially helpful in classrooms because it gives children a stable visual reference. Teachers can point to each commandment, connect it to a simple example, and return to the chart during prayer, religion lessons, or preparation for the sacraments.

Helpful teaching methods include:

1. Group the commandments by love of God and love of neighbor. The first commandments focus on worship, reverence, and holy time; the later commandments focus on family, life, purity, truth, justice, and desire.
2. Use short memory phrases. Children often learn well when the wording is consistent each time they repeat it.
3. Connect each commandment to daily choices. For example, honoring parents includes listening, helping, and speaking respectfully.
4. Practice with call-and-response. A teacher or parent says the number, and children answer with the commandment.
5. Review before confession. The commandments are a classic guide for an examination of conscience before confession because they help Catholics reflect on thoughts, words, actions, and omissions.

For memorization, it helps to teach the list in small sections rather than all at once. Children can learn the first three (the first four in the Protestant numbering) as duties toward God, then the rest as duties toward others. Repetition, classroom display, and simple examples keep the commandments from becoming abstract words.

The deeper unity behind the different lists

Comparing the Catholic and Protestant lists can sound like a debate, but the deeper point is unity in the biblical text. Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Orthodox, and other Protestant Christians all recognize the Ten Commandments as a central summary of moral life under God.

The numbering differences developed through real historical traditions, not through an attempt to change Scripture. St. Augustine’s arrangement shaped Catholic and Lutheran teaching. The division associated with Philo, Josephus, and early writers shaped many Reformed and Orthodox presentations. Jewish tradition preserves its own ancient pattern by counting God’s opening self-identification as the first word.

When readers compare the lists carefully, they can see that the substance remains: worship God alone, honor His name, keep holy time, respect parents, protect life, preserve marital faithfulness, reject theft, tell the truth, and discipline desire. The commandments are not merely rules to recite; they are a formation in rightly ordered love.

A clear takeaway for Catholic and Protestant readers

The difference comes down to grouping, not deletion. Catholics and Lutherans count the opening worship commands together and divide coveting into two commandments; most other Protestants and the Orthodox count the image command separately and keep coveting together.

For Catholic families, schools, and parishes, using a clear chart can make the Catholic list easier to learn and easier to use in prayer, classroom teaching, and examination of conscience. For ecumenical conversations, knowing both systems helps prevent misunderstandings and shows respect for the different traditions that have handed on the biblical commandments.

To help teach and display the Catholic list clearly, see the Ten Commandments chart, Catholic edition at CFaithS.

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