The 10 Commandments in the N.T.

1 Timothy 1:8-11 "We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers-- and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me." (NIV)

If these false teachers of Pauls' day were teaching "the law" to the Christians in Ephesus, what Paul has written would certainly contradict what they had been teaching. Why does Paul, through The Holy Spirit, give us this long list of persons affected by the law?

Maybe the law teachers were so completely ignorant
of "the law" that they needed this rather elementary information.

It could have been some of these teachers were practicing some of the sins here mentioned. In this case they would be condemned by the very subject they were teaching.

Commentators see a similarity in Paul's prohibitions here, to those of the Ten Commandments. Note this table of comparison as given by Homer Kent:
The first table of the Decalogue is covered in general terms.

I Timothy 1:9, 10 Exodus 20:1-17
Lawless and disobedient 1. Thou shalt have no other
gods before me.
Ungodly and sinners 2. Thou shalt not make
unto thee any graven image


Unholy and profane 3. Thou shalt not take
the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day.

By these three pairs of words the second table is covered more completely:

Father-smiters and 5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
mother-smiters
Murderers 6. Thou shalt not kill.
Fornicators, Sodomites 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Kidnappers 8. Thou shalt not steal,

Liars, perjurers 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.


Any other thing. 10. Thou shalt not covet.

The above information as to the proper use of "the law" is in perfect agreement to, and a part of, the Good News entrusted to Paul. The Gospel (or the Faith) would teach that sinners are to be brought under the judgment of God by the law. When mankind is shown to be guilty and condemned before God's righteous law, our prayer is they will hear with eagerness the Good News that "Christ died to save sinners".

Share "His Good News" today with someone who needs to hear it. God Bless until our next time...