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Answer
Nine of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:1–17 are reiterated in the New Testament multiple times in various forms. For instance, when summarizing our moral duties towards one another, Jesus restates four of the Ten Commandments to the young ruler in Mark 10:17–19. The sole commandment not reiterated in the New Testament is the fourth one concerning Sabbath observance.
Paul makes references to the Decalogue several times in his epistles. At times, he explicitly lists some of the commandments, as seen in Romans 13:9. In other instances, he alludes to them indirectly, such as in 1 Timothy 1:8–10: “But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding that the law is not enacted for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers [5th and 6th commandments], for murderers [6th commandment], for immoral men and homosexuals [7th commandment], for kidnappers [8th commandment], for liars and perjurers [9th commandment], and anything else that goes against sound teaching” (NASB).
Below are the Ten Commandments and their corresponding references in the New Testament:
1) Do not worship any other gods (1 Corinthians 8:6;1 Timothy 2:5)
2) Do not make idols «Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.», (1 John 5:21)
3) Do not misuse the name of the LORD «Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. », (1 Timothy 6:1)
4) Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.There are numerous references to the Sabbath day in the New Testament, including the assumption that Jews under the law in the time of Christ would be observing the Sabbath. However, there is no direct or indirect command for believers in the church age to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest or of worship. In fact, Colossians 2:16 releases the believer from the Sabbath rule. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, has become for us our Sabbath rest, according to Hebrews 4:1-11.
5) Honor your father and your mother (Ephesians 6:1-2)
6) Do not murder (Romans 13:9; 1 Peter 4:15)
7) Do not commit adultery (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
8) Do not steal: “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” (Ephesians 4:28)
9) Do not give false testimony: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
10) Do not covet “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: “, (Colossians 3:5)
The Ten Commandments help nonbelievers in any era recognize their imperfections. By summarizing the moral essence of God’s law, the Decalogue can serve as a reflection to reveal people’s sins. These commandments mirror the unchanging nature of God, making them—like God—eternal, timeless, universally relevant, and unchangeable.
Some Christians argue that the Ten Commandments do not apply to present-day believers. For instance, in his book Irresistible: Reclaiming the New that Jesus Unleashed for the World, Andy Stanley asserts, “The Ten Commandments have no authority over you. None. To be clear: Thou shalt not obey the Ten Commandments” (p. 136). This perspective is likely not driven by an antinomian mindset but rather by the belief that Christians are under grace, not the law “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”, (Romans 6:14). While it is true that Christ fulfilled the law on our behalf (see Matthew 5:17), the New Testament clearly states that believers should not transgress God’s moral law due to their position in grace “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”, (Romans 6:15).
Believers in the New Testament are liberated from the slavery of sin, enabling them to live out the Ten Commandments freely, as summarized by Christ: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Th
“This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40; NASB).
