Ten Commandments. Seven deadly sins. Ten Commandments of God in Orthodoxy

One should distinguish between the TEN OLD TESTAMENT COMMANDMENTS given by God to Moses and the entire people of Israel and the GOSPEL COMMANDMENTS OF THE HAPPINESS, of which there are nine. The 10 commandments were given to people through Moses at the dawn of the formation of religion, in order to protect them from sin, to warn them of danger, while the Christian Beatitudes, described in the Sermon on the Mount of Christ, are of a slightly different plan; they relate to more spiritual life and development. The Christian commandments are a logical continuation and in no way deny the 10 commandments. Read more about Christian commandments.

The 10 commandments of God are the law, given by God in addition to his internal moral guide – conscience. The Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses, and through him to all humanity on Mount Sinai, when the people of Israel were returning from captivity in Egypt to the Promised Land. The first four commandments regulate the relationship between man and God, the remaining six - the relationship between people. The Ten Commandments in the Bible are described twice: in the twentieth chapter of the book, and in the fifth chapter.

Ten Commandments of God in Russian.

How and when did God give the 10 commandments to Moses?

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai on the 50th day after the exodus from Egyptian captivity. The situation at Mount Sinai is described in the Bible:

... On the third day, when morning came, there were thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud over Mount [Sinai], and the sound of a very strong trumpet... Mount Sinai was all smoking because the Lord had descended on it in fire; and smoke rose from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook greatly; and the sound of the trumpet became stronger and stronger... ()

God inscribed the 10 commandments on stone tablets and gave them to Moses. Moses stayed on Mount Sinai for another 40 days, after which he went down to his people. The book of Deuteronomy describes that when he came down, he saw that his people were dancing around the Golden Calf, forgetting about God and breaking one of the commandments. Moses in anger broke the tablets with the inscribed commandments, but God commanded him to carve new ones to replace the old ones, on which the Lord again inscribed the 10 commandments.

10 Commandments - interpretation of the commandments.

1. I am the Lord your God, and there are no other gods besides Me.

According to the first commandment, there is not and cannot be another god greater than Him. This is a postulate of monotheism. The first commandment says that everything that exists is created by God, lives in God and will return to God. God has no beginning and no end. It is impossible to comprehend it. All the power of man and nature comes from God, and there is no power outside the Lord, just as there is no wisdom outside the Lord, and there is no knowledge outside the Lord. In God is the beginning and the end, in Him is all love and kindness.

Man does not need gods except the Lord. If you have two gods, doesn’t that mean that one of them is the devil?

Thus, according to the first commandment, the following are considered sinful:

• atheism;
• superstitions and esotericism;
• polytheism;
• magic and witchcraft,
• false interpretation of religion - sects and false teachings

1. Do not make for yourself an idol or any image; do not worship them or serve them.

All power is concentrated in God. Only He can help a person if necessary. People often turn to intermediaries for help. But if God cannot help a person, are intermediaries able to do this? According to the second commandment, people and things must not be deified. This will lead to sin or illness.

In simple words, one cannot worship the Lord’s creation instead of the Lord Himself. Worshiping things is akin to paganism and idolatry. At the same time, veneration of icons does not equate to idolatry. It is believed that prayers of worship are directed to God himself, and not to the material from which the icon is made. We turn not to the image, but to the Prototype. Even in the Old Testament, images of God are described that were made at His command.

1. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

According to the third commandment, it is forbidden to mention the name of the Lord unless absolutely necessary. You can mention the name of the Lord in prayer and spiritual conversations, in requests for help. You cannot mention the Lord in idle conversations, especially in blasphemous ones. We all know that the Word has great power in the Bible. With a word, God created the world.

1. Six days you shall work and do all your work, but the seventh is a day of rest, which you shall dedicate to the Lord your God.

God does not forbid love, He is Love Himself, but He requires chastity.

1. Don't steal.

Disrespect for another person can result in theft of property. Any benefit is illegal if it is associated with causing any damage, including material damage, to another person.

It is considered a violation of the eighth commandment:

• appropriation of someone else's property,
• robbery or theft,
• deception in business, bribery, bribery
• all kinds of scams, fraud and fraud.

1. Don't bear false witness.

The ninth commandment tells us that we must not lie to ourselves or others. This commandment prohibits any lies, gossip and gossip.

1. Don't covet anything that belongs to others.

The tenth commandment tells us that envy and jealousy are sinful. Desire in itself is only a seed of sin that will not germinate in a bright soul. The tenth commandment is aimed at preventing the violation of the eighth commandment. Having suppressed the desire to possess someone else's, a person will never steal.

The tenth commandment is different from the previous nine; it is New Testament in nature. This commandment is not aimed at prohibiting sin, but at preventing thoughts of sin. The first 9 commandments talk about the problem as such, while the tenth talks about the root (cause) of this problem.

The Seven Deadly Sins is an Orthodox term denoting basic vices that are terrible in themselves and can lead to the emergence of other vices and violation of the commandments given by the Lord. In Catholicism, the 7 deadly sins are called the cardinal sins or root sins.

Sometimes laziness is called the seventh sin; this is typical for Orthodoxy. Modern authors they write about eight sins, including laziness and despondency. The doctrine of the seven deadly sins was formed quite early (in the 2nd – 3rd centuries) among ascetic monks. IN Divine Comedy Dante describes seven circles of purgatory, which correspond to the seven deadly sins.

The theory of mortal sins developed in the Middle Ages and was illuminated in the works of Thomas Aquinas. He saw in seven sins the cause of all other vices. In Russian Orthodoxy the idea began to spread in the 18th century.

For every Christian guiding star is the law of God. It is he who points the way to the Heavenly Kingdom. IN modern world The life of any person is very complex, which indicates the need for clear and authoritative guidance from God's Commandments. This is the reason why most people turn to them.

But in practice this is not at all easy. Completely exclude from your Everyday life the seven mortal sins and keeping the ten commandments is very difficult and practically impossible. But we must strive for this, and God, in turn, is very merciful.

The 10 commandments of God in Russian say what is needed:

• believe in one Lord God;
• do not create idols for yourself;
• do not take the name of the Lord God in vain;
• always remember about the day off;
• honor and respect parents;
• do not kill;
• do not commit adultery;
• don't steal;
• don't lie;
• don't be jealous.

The list of God's commandments allows you to live correctly, in harmony and understanding with the Almighty.

• The first three of the ten commandments relate directly to the relationship with God. A Christian must worship the true God, and others should not exist in his life. They also say that a person should not have idols or objects of worship, and the name of the Almighty is pronounced only in situations of a complex nature.
• According to the fourth commandment, a Christian must honor and be sure to remember the Sabbath day. For six days, people work tirelessly and do all their business, which makes it possible to devote the seventh day to the Almighty.

This commandment is violated not only by those who work on Sunday, but also by people who are lazy and shirk their daily responsibilities throughout the week. The covenant of the Lord God is also violated by those who have fun and amuse themselves on their days off, indulging in revelry and excess.

• The fifth commandment states that one must honor one's mother and father, regardless of age or situation. This will allow you to live not only happily, but also for a long time. The concept of respect for parents includes love, care, respect and support, as well as constant prayer to the Almighty for their health and well-being. Those Christians who slander their parents are punished with death.
• The next commandment says that you cannot take the life of not only yourself, but also other people, regardless of the current situation and offense. A very serious sin is suicide, which is caused by despair, lack of faith or murmuring against the Almighty. A person is guilty even if he did not take the life of his neighbor and did not stop the murder.
• One of the 10 commandments of God's law says that one must not commit adultery. The Lord God commands to remain faithful to your husband or wife throughout your life, as well as to be absolutely pure in your thoughts, desires and spoken words.

Observing this commandment, it is strongly recommended to avoid foul language, shameless songs and dances, viewing photographs and films of a seductive genre, as well as reading immoral magazines. Based on this, we can conclude that sinful thoughts must be suppressed in the very bud.

• The next commandment of the Lord says that false witness in relation to a loved one is unacceptable. In his commandment, He prohibits any lie, denunciation or slander, as well as false judicial testimony, gossip and slander.
• The last three commandments state that it is unacceptable to steal, lie and envy. God says that you need to rejoice in everything that you have, and not your neighbor. Only in this case can you receive the blessing of the Almighty.

In addition to 10 Orthodox God's commandments There are also seven deadly sins:

• pride;
• envy;
• angry state;
• laziness;
• greedy attitude towards one's neighbor;
• gluttony and gluttony;
• fornication, lust and voluptuousness.

God's commandments and mortal sins

The most vicious of the seven deadly sins is pride, which the Lord God cannot forgive.

The commandments of God in Orthodoxy allow us to live correctly and harmoniously. It is undoubtedly very difficult to comply with them in everyday life, but you should always strive for the best. Many people who managed to begin to live according to God’s laws, after a short period of time simply stopped noticing changes in their daily existence. And, undoubtedly, the Lord God helped them in this.

The commandments listed above will definitely benefit you only if you make them your own. In other words, allow them to completely guide your worldview and actions. They must be in your subconscious, which will allow you to avoid their possible violation.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that people who live according to God’s law are always lucky, and their lives work out the best way. They also manage to create strong families and raise a good generation. Live with the Lord, and he will definitely bless you with good luck and luck not only in life situations, but also in all, even the most hopeless, endeavors.

God's first commandment was given to Adam and Eve in paradise. By violating it, our ancestors were deprived of pristine living conditions and direct communication with the Creator. Having lost God's grace, human nature turned out to be unprotected and vulnerable to sin. But the Lord did not leave his beloved creation to the mercy of fate, protecting man in every possible way and guiding him on the right path.

Interior spiritual law , originally laid down by God and conscience-controlled, could no longer remain a powerful deterrent for people. Therefore, an external law was needed that would coordinate the actions of people and streamline their way of life.

As described in Old Testament, the Lord established a number of certain requirements for man, which he conveyed to the people of Israel through the prophet Moses. This happened after the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery on the way to the land of Canaan at Mount Sinai.

Rules of human life or the commandments were inscribed by the Lord Himself on two tablets (stone tablets). This division of the Law of God into two parts is not accidental. The first four points define a person's duties towards God, the remaining six contain instructions that form harmonious relationships between people.

There are 10 commandments of God in total. Orthodoxy views them as life guide And guide to salvation. They are as follows:

1. ​Worship the One True God.
2. Don't create idols for yourself.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord God in vain.
4. Honor the day off of the week: work six days, and devote the seventh to God.
5. Honor your father and mother, which will give you prosperity and longevity in earthly life.
6. Don't kill.
7. Don't commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Don't bear false witness.
10. Don't be jealous.

Interpretation of God's Ten Commandments in Orthodoxy

Reveal the meaning and meaning of each point God's Law study helps Holy Scripture, apostolic works and patristic literature.

First commandment

In it, the Lord points to Himself and commands man to cognize and honor only Him, and also strive for Him as the One True God. Therefore, people should:

1. Engage in knowledge of God: listen to teachings about God in church, read Bible and the works of the holy fathers.
2. Show inner reverence for God: believe in Him, fear and revere Him, hope in God, love Him, obey and worship Him, glorify, give thanks and call on His name.
3. Express outward worship of God: to confess the Most Holy Trinity, without renouncing one’s faith even under the threat of death; participate in church services and Sacraments established by God Himself.

Sins that break the first commandment:

• atheism, i.e. denial of the existence of God;
• polytheism - worship of imaginary deities;
• lack of faith in God's providence and revelation;
• heresy - expression of opinions contrary to Divine truth;
• schism – deviation from unity Orthodox Church;
• apostasy - renunciation true faith;
• despair - loss of hope for salvation;
• magic - asking for help dark forces;
• superstition, in which an ordinary thing is given magical meaning;
• laziness in performing the duties of piety;
• a greater manifestation of love for the creature than for the Creator;
• pleasing man instead of pleasing God;
• Reliance on man is hope in human strength, and not in God’s help.

Second Commandment

Warns against worshiping idols - pagan deities, as well as those objects to which all human thoughts and desires are attached.

In modern developed countries that are not subject to pagan influence, violations of this commandment are quite common in everyday life.

Sins that break the second commandment:

• pride, hypocrisy;
• love of money, covetousness - love of gain;
• – excessive enjoyment of food and its consumption in large quantities;
• drunkenness, drug addiction;
• computer addiction.

In contrast to the listed sins, this instruction of God teaches humility, generosity and self-control.

It should be noted that the veneration of holy icons in Orthodox Christianity does not contradict this prescription. Word icon translated from Greek means image, or image. In his prayer, a person turns not to the icon, but to the image imprinted on it. The Lord Himself commanded Moses to install golden images of Cherubim in the tabernacle, and in that part of the temple to which the people turned to pray to God.

Third Commandment

Forbids pronouncing the name of God in vain, without special need and reverence, in useless and vain conversations.

Sins that break the third commandment:

• blasphemy, i.e. words that offend God;
• – desecration of sacred objects or mocking attitude towards them;
• grumbling - dissatisfaction with life circumstances;
• a false oath that asserts something that does not actually exist;
• perjury - violation of a legal oath;
• failure to keep promises made to God;
• bozhba - a frivolous oath in ordinary conversations;
• inattentive prayer.

IN Holy Scripture The Savior warns people against all kinds of gods: But I say to you: do not swear at all... But let your word be: yes, yes; no no; and anything beyond this is from the evil one (Matt. 5, 34 and 37).

We are not talking here about an oath provided for by public law in especially important cases. A legal oath and oath must be taken and remain faithful to it to the end, without violating it under any circumstances.

Fourth Commandment

Teaches people to dedicate the seventh day of the week to the Creator. IN Bible It describes how God created the world for six days, and on the seventh he rested, having completed his work. The Old Testament Church revered the Sabbath, which is the seventh day of the week. After the Holy Resurrection of Christ, Sunday began to be revered - the first day of the week, following six working days.

To keep the fourth commandment and sanctification Sunday necessary:

1. Abstain from work and worldly affairs.
2. Visit God's temple by participating in church services.
3. Devote part of your time to reading Holy Scripture and spiritual literature.
4. Serve God with works of mercy, visiting the sick, prisoners, giving alms.

It should be noted that the Lord commanded to work six days a week, therefore idleness and relaxation during the time designated for work is a direct violation of God’s commandment.

Fifth Commandment

Speaking about the need to honor parents, the Lord points to the responsibilities of children towards them. Fulfilling his duty to his father and mother, every Christian must:

1. Treat them with respect.
2. Be in obedience to them.
3. Take care of them during illness and old age.
4. Pray for their health during life and for the repose of their souls after death.

Based on the fifth commandment, family and public relations. Therefore, given its importance for the formation of order in the spheres of mutual coexistence, the Lord promises a prosperous and long earthly life as a reward for fulfilling this requirement.

Mentors, superiors, and elderly people should also be treated with respect. From childhood, a child needs to be instilled with respect not only for mom and dad, but also for educators, teachers, and representatives of the older generation, demonstrating such behavior in by example.

Sixth Commandment

Warns against committing murder. Life is God’s priceless gift, which no one has the right to take away except the Creator Himself. Every person is created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, the attempt on human life is a daring blasphemous crime, for which you will have to answer to the fullest extent not only in this life, but also in the future.

Sins that violate the sixth commandment:

• directly killing another person;
• directing the actions that led to bloodshed;
• incitement to suicide;
• failure to provide timely possible assistance to a dying person;
• harboring a criminal who committed murder;
• harming the health of others;
• bad habits(smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction);
• suicide.

It should be noted that the last of all the listed sins is the most serious. When a person voluntarily leaves life, he dares to dispose of what does not belong to him, rejecting the gift of God and thereby turning away from the Creator. A suicide does not have the opportunity to repent and change his fate in any way. The Church does not pray for those who have passed away in this way.

It is not a violation of the sixth commandment:

1. Punishment of the criminal by justice.
2. Destruction of the enemy while defending the Fatherland.

Seventh Commandment

Through her, the Lord calls everyone to bodily purity and chastity.

Holy Bible teaches that the body of a Christian should become a temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is unacceptable to desecrate it with illegal and unnatural relationships.

Sins that break the seventh commandment:

• fornication - intimate relationships between a man and a woman who are not legally married;
• adultery - adultery;
• incest – carnal relations between relatives;
• same-sex relationships and other forms of sexual perversion.

IN New Testament The Savior gives a more subtle explanation of this instruction: But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matt. 5:28). With these words, the Lord makes it clear that people must not only act according to the Law, but also carefully monitor the purity of their thoughts.

Eighth Commandment

Prohibits the appropriation by a person of what rightfully belongs to another.

Sins that break the eighth commandment:

• robbery - depriving a person of his own property using violence;
• theft - secretly stealing something;
• appropriation of other people's funds or property through deception;
• extortion;
• corrupt practices;
• parasitism;
• reluctance to repay debts.

These sins are counterbalanced by such virtues as mercy, selflessness, and generosity.

Ninth Commandment

Requires people to be honest with each other.

Sins that break the ninth commandment:

• giving false testimony in court;
• slander in everyday life;
• unfair censure;
• any lie.

In Orthodox Christianity it is also considered impermissible to reproach or condemn a neighbor for his vices if this is not permitted by certain duties: Not a trialú let you not be judged (Matt. 7:1).

Tenth Commandment

Warns people against unkind desires and thoughts, which subsequently lead to sinful acts. It is necessary to suppress any unclean thoughts so that they do not feed and do not allow the destructive passion called envy. To counteract this mental illness it is necessary:

1. Maintain purity of heart.
2. Be content with what you have.
3. Thank God for everything.

The foundation laid down God's Law, is Love. When asked which commandment in the Law is considered greatest, the Lord answers: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: this is the first and greatest commandment; the second is similar to it: love your neighbor as yourself; on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets(Matt. 22:36–40).

Deadly sins

Human actions that contradict God’s plan for him and separate him from the Creator, which leads to inevitable death human soul, are called mortal sins. They are usually divided into seven groups depending on passions which underlies certain actions. This classification was first proposed in 590 by St. Gregory the Great.

Seven deadly sins, or passions:

1. Pride - the passion that underlies all sins. It was the reason that a cherub named Dennitsa, who was close to God, considered himself equal to the Creator Himself, and was thrown from Heaven into the underworld along with other angels who stood on his side.
2. Envy - a sinful feeling that pushed Cain to kill his sibling Abel. Envy was the main reason for the condemnation and crucifixion of the Savior.
3. Gluttony – a pathological condition of a person when the satisfaction of natural needs for food is replaced by gluttony. Gluttony gives rise to other sins - laziness, relaxation, inattention.
4. Fornication - a passion that can completely stupefy the human mind, inducing its victim to adultery, promiscuity and all kinds of perversions. For these sins, people suffered terrible punishment from God when fire rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah.
5. Anger - a destructive feeling that can completely take over a person and push him to the most terrible actions, even committing murder.
6. Greed , or selfishness- an irresistible desire to possess material benefits. This passion is based on substitution life values when a person spends his energy on acquiring earthly wealth, neglecting the acquisition of eternal wealth.
7. - a sin based on mental and physical relaxation that paralyzes a person’s will. Dejection turns into murmur, which manifests itself in dissatisfaction with existing circumstances, when what is desired does not correspond to reality.

Falling into mortal sin destroys human nature and entails tragic consequences. But even when committing the most serious crime, one must not fall into despair and lose hope in God’s mercy, becoming like Judas in this. While a person is alive, he has the opportunity to cleanse his soul by sincere repentance and again enter into an alliance with God, uniting with Him in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Raising a child according to God's commandments

The basis of Orthodox education in the family has always been and remains God's law, opening in front of the child real picture life and forming in him the correct attitude towards the world around him, people and himself. Seeds Orthodox faith sown in a child’s soul will definitely bear fruit in adulthood.

To ensure that the educational process takes place in a form that is accessible and interesting for the child, special publishing houses have published a large number of Orthodox children's literature, including God's law And Bible for children, as well as individual publications representing ten Commandments in pictures in Russian.

A child who cannot read will be able to master the basics of Orthodoxy not only with parental help, but also independently, simply by looking at the pictures. For a child who knows how to read, a book outlining God’s commandments should become a desktop item, so that in any life situation the young Christian learned to be guided by eternal truths.

But no matter how much effort is put into educating and instructing one’s own child, the main and determining part of Orthodox education should be the personal example of parents who honor God's law and in fact striving to observe all the commandments of the Creator.

No. Name and synonyms English. Explanation Misconceptions 1 Pride , pride(meaning “arrogance” or “arrogance”), vanity.Pride, vanity.Excessive faith in one’s own capabilities, which conflicts with the greatness of the Lord. It is considered a sin from which all others come. Pride(meaning “self-esteem” or “feeling of satisfaction from something”). 2 Envy .Envy.Desire for another's properties, status, opportunities, or situation. It is a direct violation of the tenth Christian commandment (see below). Vanity(historically it was included in the concept of pride), jealousy.3 Anger .Anger, wrath.Contrasted with love is a feeling of strong indignation, indignation. Revenge(although she cannot do without anger). 4 Laziness , laziness, idleness, despondency.Sloth, acedia,sadness.Avoidance of physical and spiritual work. 5 Greed , greed, stinginess,love of money.Greed,covetousness,Avarice.Wish material wealth, thirst for profit, with disregard for the spiritual. 6 Gluttony , gluttony,gluttony.Gluttony.Uncontrollable desire to consume more than required. 7 Voluptuousness , fornication, lust,debauchery.Lust.Passionate desire for carnal pleasures.

Ten Commandments

Many people confuse mortal sins with commandments and try to illustrate the concepts of “thou shalt not kill” and “thou shalt not steal” with references to them. There are some similarities between the two lists, but there are more differences. The Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and are described in the Old Testament (in the fifth book of Moses called Deuteronomy). The first four commandments concern the relationship between God and man, the next six - man with man. Below is a list of commandments in a modern interpretation, with original quotes (given from the 1997 Russian edition, approved by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus') and some comments by Andrei Koltsov.

1. Believe in the only God. “I am the Lord your God... let you have no other gods before Me.”- initially this was directed against paganism (polytheism), but over time it lost relevance and became a reminder to honor the one God even more.
2. Don't create idols for yourself. “You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth below, or that is in the waters under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I am the Lord your God..."- initially this was directed against idolatry, but now “idol” is interpreted in an expanded way - this is everything that distracts from faith in God.
3. Don't take God's name in vain. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain...”- that is, you cannot “swear”, say “my God”, “by God”, etc.
4. Remember the day off. “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy...six days you shall work and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.”– in some countries, including Russia, this is Sunday; in any case, one day of the week must be entirely devoted to prayers and thoughts about God; you cannot work, since it is assumed that a person works for himself.
5. Honor your parents. "Honor your father and your mother..."- After God, one should honor father and mother, since they gave life.
6. Dont kill. "Dont kill"– God gives life, and only He can take it away.
7. Don't commit adultery. "Thou shalt not commit adultery"– that is, a man and a woman should live in marriage, and only in a monogamous one; For eastern countries, where all this happened, a rather difficult condition to fulfill.
8. Don't steal. "Don't steal"– by analogy with “thou shalt not kill,” only God gives us everything, and only He can take it back.
9. Do not lie. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"– initially this concerned judicial oaths, later it began to be interpreted broadly as “do not lie” and “do not slander.”
10. Do not envy. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor shall you covet your neighbor’s house, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor any of his livestock, nor anything that your neighbor has.”– sounds more figurative in the original.

The Seven Deadly Sins and the Ten Commandments

In this short article I will not pretend to be an absolutist statement, including that Christianity is somehow more important than other world religions. Therefore, I reject in advance all possible attacks in this vein. The purpose of the article is to provide information about the seven deadly sins and ten commandments noted in Christian teaching. The extent of the sinfulness and importance of the commandments can be debated, but at the very least it is worth paying attention to.

But first, why did I suddenly decide to write about this? The reason for this was the film “Seven,” in which one comrade imagined himself to be an instrument of God and decided to punish selected individuals, as they say, point by point, that is, each for some mortal sin. It’s just that I suddenly discovered, to my shame, that I couldn’t list all seven deadly sins. So I decided to fill this gap by publishing on my website. And in the process of searching for information, I discovered a connection with the Ten Christian Commandments (which also doesn’t hurt to know), as well as some other interesting materials. Below it all comes together.

Seven deadly sins

There are seven mortal sins in Christian teaching, and they are called so because, despite their seemingly harmless nature, regular exercise they lead to much more grave sins and, consequently, to the death of the immortal soul, going to hell. Deadly sins Not based on biblical texts and Not are a direct revelation of God, they appeared in the texts of theologians later.

First, the Greek monk-theologian Evagrius of Pontus compiled a list of the eight worst human passions. They were (in descending order of severity): pride, vanity, acedia, anger, sadness, avarice, lust and gluttony. The order in this list was determined by the degree of a person’s orientation towards himself, towards his ego (that is, pride is the most selfish property of a person and therefore the most harmful).

At the end of the 6th century, Pope Gregory I the Great reduced the list to seven elements, introducing the concept of vanity into pride, spiritual laziness into despondency, and also adding a new one - envy. The list was slightly reordered, this time according to the criterion of opposition to love: pride, envy, anger, despondency, greed, gluttony and voluptuousness (that is, pride is more opposed to love than others and is therefore the most harmful).

Later Christian theologians (in particular, Thomas Aquinas) objected to precisely this order of mortal sins, but it was this order that became the main one and is still in effect today. The only change in Pope Gregory the Great's list was the replacement of the concept of despondency with sloth in the 17th century. Also see a brief history of sin (in English).

Due to the fact that representatives mainly catholic church, I dare to suggest that this does not apply to the Orthodox Church, and especially to other religions. However, I believe that regardless of religion and even for atheists, this list will be useful. Its current version is summarized in the following table.

The most harmful of them is definitely considered pride. At the same time, the belonging of some items on this list to sins (for example, gluttony and lust) is questioned. And according to one sociological survey, the “popularity” of mortal sins is as follows (in descending order): anger, pride, envy, gluttony, voluptuousness, laziness and greed.

It may be interesting to consider the influence of these sins on the human body from the point of view modern science. And, of course, the matter could not do without a “scientific” justification for those natural properties of human nature that were included in the list of the worst.

Ten Commandments

Many people confuse mortal sins with commandments and try to illustrate the concepts of “thou shalt not kill” and “thou shalt not steal” with references to them. There are some similarities between the two lists, but there are more differences. The Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and are described in the Old Testament (in the fifth book of Moses called Deuteronomy). The first four commandments concern the relationship between God and man, the next six - man with man. Below is a list of commandments in a modern interpretation, with original quotes (given from the 1997 Russian edition, approved by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus') and some comments by Andrei Koltsov.

1. Believe in the only God. “I am the Lord your God... let you have no other gods before Me.”- initially this was directed against paganism (polytheism), but over time it lost relevance and became a reminder to honor the one God even more.
2. Don't create idols for yourself. “You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth below, or that is in the waters under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I am the Lord your God..."- initially this was directed against idolatry, but now “idol” is interpreted in an expanded way - this is everything that distracts from faith in God.
3. Don't take God's name in vain. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain...”- that is, you cannot “swear”, say “my God”, “by God”, etc.
4. Remember the day off. “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy...six days you shall work and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.”– in some countries, including Russia, this is Sunday; in any case, one day of the week must be entirely devoted to prayers and thoughts about God; you cannot work, since it is assumed that a person works for himself.
5. Honor your parents. "Honor your father and your mother..."- After God, one should honor father and mother, since they gave life.
6. Dont kill. "Dont kill"– God gives life, and only He can take it away.
7. Don't commit adultery. "Thou shalt not commit adultery"– that is, a man and a woman should live in marriage, and only in a monogamous one; for the eastern countries where all this happened, this is a rather difficult condition to fulfill.
8. Don't steal. "Don't steal"– by analogy with “thou shalt not kill,” only God gives us everything, and only He can take it back.
9. Do not lie. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"– initially this concerned judicial oaths, later it began to be interpreted broadly as “do not lie” and “do not slander.”
10. Do not envy. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor shall you covet your neighbor’s house, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor any of his livestock, nor anything that your neighbor has.”– sounds more figurative in the original.

Some believe that the last six commandments form the basis of the Criminal Code, since they do not say how to live, but only how Not necessary.