Must Christians keep the Ten Commandments?

No. God gave his Law, including the Ten Commandments, specifically to the ancient nation of Israel. (Deuteronomy 5:​2, 3; Psalm 147:19, 20) The Mosaic Law is not binding on Christians, and even Jewish Christians were “released from the Law.” (Romans 7:6)b The Mosaic Law was replaced by “the law of the Christ,” which includes all that Jesus instructed his followers to do.​—Galatians 6:2; Matthew 28:19, 20.

Are the Ten Commandments relevant today?

Yes. Because the Ten Commandments reveal God’s thinking, we can benefit from studying them. (2 Timothy 3:​16, 17) The Ten Commandments are based on reliable principles that will never go out-of-date. (Psalm 111:​7, 8) In fact, many of these principles underlie the teachings of what is commonly called the New Testament.​—See “Principles from the Ten Commandments reflected in the New Testament.”

Jesus taught that the entire Mosaic Law, including the Ten Commandments, rested on two fundamental commandments. He said: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments the whole Law hangs.” (Matthew 22:34-​40) So although Christians are not expected to observe the Mosaic Law, they are commanded to love God and their fellow humans.​—John 13:34; 1 John 4:​20, 21.

Principles from the Ten Commandments reflected in the New Testament