So how many of the Ten Commandments did Paul quote?
Short answer: Nine out of Ten. And he didn’t just quote them—he wielded them like a scalpel, exposing sin for what it is and reminding saints that grace isn’t a license to go morally bankrupt. He never once says, “Don’t worry, the law’s old news.” He says, “The law is holy, and the commandment holy and righteous and good” (Rom_7:12)… but don’t try to get justified by it. That’s a dead-end.
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No other gods before Me?
Oh yes. Gal_4:8 – “You were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.”
Paul drags idols with theological side-eye in 1Co_8:5 and 1Th_1:9.
Modern version? “Don’t act like Netflix or your emotions are your god.” -
No graven images?
Rom_1:22–23 – Exchanging God’s glory for statues? Paul says that’s not spiritual depth, it’s regression.
And in 1Co_10:14, he’s not shy: “Flee from idolatry.”
Greek verb? φεύγετε (pheugete) – present imperative. In other words: “Run. Now.” -
Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain?
Not a direct quote, but he’s not letting this slide either.
1Ti_1:20 talks about blasphemers (βλασφημοῦσιν – blasphēmeousin),
and Rom_2:24 hits the Jews hard: “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
Paul says, “Don’t make God look bad. Your witness is either a window or a wall.” -
Keep the Sabbath?
Nope. The only one Paul skips—and not by accident.
He even tells the Colossians not to let people guilt-trip them over Sabbath days (Col_2:16).
Sabbath is a shadow, Christ is the substance (Col_2:17).
In Rom_14:5, he throws the ball in your court: “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”
This is liberty, not lawlessness. -
Honor your father and mother?
Eph_6:2–3 – he quotes it word-for-word.
And reminds us it’s the first commandment with a promise.
This ain’t just about kids—Paul knew grownups need to honor, too. -
You shall not murder?
Rom_13:9 – “You shall not murder” (οὐ φονεύσεις).
He’s not playing here—this is not just about homicide.
Jesus said hatred counts (Mat_5:21–22), and Paul backs it.
Life is sacred because the image of God is not a suggestion—it’s a birthright. -
You shall not commit adultery?
Rom_13:9 and 1Co_6:9 both serve this straight.
The word: μοιχοὶ (moichoi) – masculine plural for “adulterers.”
Paul doesn’t water it down.
Faithfulness in marriage is non-negotiable because covenant still matters. -
You shall not steal?
Rom_13:9 again.
Greek: οὐ κλέψεις (ou klepseis) – “You shall not steal.”
And Eph_4:28 goes deeper: “Let the thief no longer steal, but let him labor…”
In other words: “Stop taking. Start building.” -
You shall not bear false witness?
Not quoted verbatim, but it’s all over his ethics.
Col_3:9 – “Do not lie to one another.”
Eph_4:25 – “Put away falsehood… speak the truth.”
Greek verb: ψεύδεσθε (pseudesthe) – present middle imperative, “Don’t lie. Period.”
Lying kills trust, and Paul guards truth like it’s the lungs of the Church—because it is. -
You shall not covet?
Rom_7:7 – Paul gets personal: “I wouldn’t have known what sin was if the law hadn’t said, ‘You shall not covet.’”
Greek: οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις (ouk epithymēseis) – future active indicative of ἐπιθυμέω, “to crave, to lust after.”
Coveting doesn’t just break contentment—it shreds gratitude and sows bitterness.
It’s not a small sin. Paul says it lit the fuse on his realization of guilt.
Paul ain’t tossing the law out like leftovers. He’s saying, “You’re not justified by it, but don’t act like you’re above it.”
He quotes 9 of the 10, skips the Sabbath on purpose, and uses the law to drive you to Christ, not to legalism.
If you’re using grace as an excuse to sin, Paul’s side-eye is eternal: Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid (Rom_6:1–2).
Don’t play cute with commandments. Christ fulfilled them—not to erase them, but to write them on your heart.
Shalom.
Johann.