If you’re wondering what the Ten Commandments mean today (not just in ancient times but right now), you’re not the only one. It’s a fair question. Some days, they feel like relics from another world. Other days, they hit a little too close to home.

As someone who’s spent a lot of time in academic conversations about faith (the honest kind, not the “nod and smile” kind), I can tell you: these commandments still come up more often than you’d expect. Not because people want more rules. But because, deep down, we're all trying to figure out how to live without making a mess of things.

The Ten Commandments are fundamental moral and religious laws in Christianity that establish core principles for ethical living and worship. These commandments, found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:4-21, include worshiping only one God, avoiding idolatry, not taking God's name in vain, keeping the Sabbath holy, honoring parents, and prohibiting murder, adultery, theft, false testimony, and coveting what belongs to others. Read on not to miss some of the surprisingly practical ways these old words still shape real life, in ways that sermons and social media posts don’t always explain.

In this article, we’ll break them down one by one. Just an honest look at what they meant then, what they could mean now, and why they might matter more than ever.