What part of the Bible is known as the 'Decalogue'?

The term "Decalogue" comes directly from its Greek roots: "deka," meaning ten, and "logos," meaning words. It literally translates to "the ten words," which is how this specific set of laws is described in the Hebrew Bible. These are the foundational ethical and religious principles that, according to scripture, were given by God to the Israelites through the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai.

This pivotal event is recorded in two main places in the Old Testament. The first and most famous account is in the Book of Exodus, where God inscribes the laws onto two stone tablets. The list is presented again in the Book of Deuteronomy, where Moses restates the laws for a new generation of Israelites just before they enter the Promised Land. While the two versions are nearly identical, there are slight differences in wording and emphasis.

These ten statements are central to both Judaism and Christianity. They are often understood as being divided into two parts: the first few commandments relate to one's duties to God (such as rules on worship and idolatry), while the remaining ones outline duties to other people (prohibiting acts like murder, theft, and dishonesty). So while most people know this famous list by its common name, Decalogue is the more formal term reflecting its original description.