The Ten Commandments in Contemporary Language

A few years ago my Sunday School class and I brainstormed how we could make the Ten Commandments ‘relevant’ to our daily experience. We didn’t feel like we had vital ways to apply the commandments. For example, we felt we could check-off the box for “not stealing” and “not killing”, so were those still something we should keep active in our daily decisions? So, we re-framed them, and came up with this list.

As a resource, I’m providing them in three ways: within the text of this post, as a PDF document, and as a Word document (so you can refine them further for your own Sunday School class).

Enjoy these, please share, but always please include the original source, in this case Jason Marsh.

Ten Commandments in contemporary language

By Jason Marsh, October, 2011

1) Accept no “other” outside the Infinite – only God

2) Have no “image” (thought) but perfection – for self and others

3) Expect good, expect healing, don’t use God’s name if you don’t mean it – why pray if you don’t expect results?

4) Live in the Now – on the Sabbath and every day, hour, and minute

5) Love without prejudice (to age or bodily description, including parents )

6) Encourage others and yourself by not killing ideas -> bring positive energy into all your interactions/activities

7) Respect the sanctity of identity & body – for yourself and others (no body manipulation)

8) Acknowledge abundance for yourself

9) Be honest to yourself, and therefore others

10) Acknowledge abundance for others, humbly see that their good is included in your good

Note: first 3 relate to your relationship to God, 4th is a transition (both), and last 6 relate to your relationship with others.