In a simple way in which the head of a house is to present<\/i><\/p>\n
them to the household<\/i>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>4<\/sup><\/p>\n The First2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>5<\/sup> [Commandment]26<\/sup><\/p>\n You are to have no other gods.2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>7<\/sup><\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear, love, and trust God above all things.<\/p>\n The Second2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>8<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are not to misuse the name of your God.2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>9<\/sup><\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>0<\/sup> God, so that3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>1<\/sup> we do not curse, swear,3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>2<\/sup> practice magic, lie, or deceive using God\u2019s name, but instead use that very name in every time of need to call on, pray to, praise, and give thanks to God.<\/p>\n The Third3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>3<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are to hallow the day of rest.3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>4<\/sup><\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love God, so that we do not despise preaching or God\u2019s Word, but instead keep that Word holy and gladly hear and learn it.<\/p>\n The Fourth3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>5<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are to honor your father and your mother.<\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love God, so that we neither despise nor anger our parents and others in authority,3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>6<\/sup> but instead honor, serve, obey, love, and respect them.<\/p>\n The Fifth3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>7<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are not to kill.<\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love God, so that we neither endanger nor harm the lives of our neighbors,3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>8<\/sup> but instead help and support them in all of life\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n The Sixth3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>9<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are not to commit adultery.<\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love God, so that we lead pure and decent lives in word and deed, and each of us loves and honors his or her spouse.<\/p>\n The Seventh4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>0<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are not to steal.<\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love God, so that we neither take our neighbors\u2019 money or property nor acquire them by using shoddy merchandise or crooked deals, but instead help them to improve and protect their property and income.<\/p>\n The Eighth4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>1<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are not to bear false witness against your neighbor.<\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love God, so that we do not tell lies about our neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations. Instead we are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light.<\/p>\n The Ninth4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>2<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are not to covet your neighbor\u2019s house.<\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love God, so that we do not try to trick our neighbors out of their inheritance or property or try to get it for ourselves by claiming to have a legal right to it and the like, but instead be of help and service to them in keeping what is theirs.<\/p>\n The Tenth4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>3<\/sup> [Commandment]<\/p>\n You are not to covet your neighbor\u2019s wife, male or female servant, cattle, or whatever is his.<\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n We are to fear and love God, so that we do not entice, force, or steal away from our neighbors their spouses,4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>4<\/sup> household workers, or livestock, but instead urge them to stay and fulfill their responsibilities to our neighbors.<\/p>\n What then does God say about all these commandments? Answer:<\/p>\n God says the following: \u201cI, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. Against those who hate me I visit the sin of the fathers on the children up to the third and fourth generation. But I do good to those who love me and keep my commandments to the thousandth generation.\u201d4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/span>5<\/sup><\/p>\n What is this? Answer:<\/p>\n God threatens to punish all who break these commandments. Therefore we are to fear his wrath and not disobey these commandments. However, God promises grace and every good thing to all those who keep these commandments. Therefore we also are to love and trust him and gladly act according to his commands.<\/p>\n 2<\/a>4 <\/span><\/sup>The titles for each section of the <\/span>Small Catechism <\/i><\/span>stem from the broadsheets of 1529 and were retained in subsequent editions. The Latin translation of 1529 addresses schoolteachers and students.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n 2<\/a>5 <\/span><\/sup>This word, lacking in the editions of 1529\u201335, is present in all other editions of the <\/span>Small Catechism <\/i><\/span>and in the <\/span>Book of Concord <\/i><\/span>of 1580.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n 2<\/a>7 <\/span><\/sup>Luther uses a common form of the Decalogue that does not always correspond to the texts of either Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5 in the Luther Bible. As a result, some later editions, including the Nuremberg editions of 1531 and 1558, correct the text here and elsewhere according to the biblical text.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n 2<\/a>8 <\/span><\/sup>Woodcut: The blasphemy of Shelomith\u2019s son. Caption: \u201cThis figure is recorded in Leviticus 24[:10\u201316<\/span>*<\/span>].\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n 2<\/a>9 <\/span><\/sup>The editions of 1529\u201335 have \u201cyou are not to take the name of your God in vain.\u201d The Nuremberg editions of 1531 and 1558 read, \u201cYou are not to take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold that one guiltless who takes his name in vain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n 3<\/a>0 <\/span><\/sup>For the use of these two verbs, see <\/span>Instruction of the Visitors<\/i><\/span> (1528) (WA 26:203, 17\u201337; <\/span>LW<\/i><\/span> 40:276\u201377) and LC, \u201cTen Commandments,\u201d 321\u201327.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n 3<\/a>1 <\/span><\/sup>da\u00df.<\/i><\/span> This may be rendered either modally (\u201c. . . by not doing . . .\u201d) or consequentially (\u201c. . . with the result that we do not . . .\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n 3<\/a>2 <\/span><\/sup>schweren,<\/i><\/span> here used in the sense of false oaths. See the LC, \u201cTen Commandments,\u201d 66.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n