Today's Daily Bread

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Date : Saturday, March 14, 2026
Passage : Exodus 20:1~21
Keyverse : 3  
1
And God spoke all these words:
2
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3
"You shall have no other gods before me.
4
"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
5
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7
"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10
but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.
11
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
13
"You shall not murder.
14
"You shall not commit adultery.
15
"You shall not steal.
16
"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17
"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
18
When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance
19
and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."
20
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
21
The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
God spoke to the people of Israel. His word is to be obeyed. Through his word God established his covenant with the people of Israel. Also, the Lord delivered them out of the land of slavery in Egypt and brought them to himself. They are new—a people of the word. The first commandment is the source of all the other commands. “You shall have no other gods before me.” The Israelite community was called to worship God only. They were to trust in God’s holy love, never misuse his name and honor the Sabbath. All of these commands reinforce their calling to worship God alone and grow in their love for him.

The remaining commandments were summed up by Jesus as, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (12-17; Mt 22:39) The command not to covet shows that God sees not only our actions, but he also wants our hearts to be pure. The entire community were those delivered by God and called to be his covenant people. The people were fearful at hearing the voice of God, so Moses reassured them. The fear of God was intended to keep them from sinning and to maintain them as God’s holy covenant people. Prayer: Lord, thank you for delivering me from sin. Thank you for your life-giving word. Help me to obey you, love you, and worship you only.
One Word: Worship God only