Luther's Little Instruction Book: The Small Catechism of Martin Luther

Luther's Little Instruction Book:
The Small Catechism of Martin Luther

Translation by Robert E. Smith From the German text, printed in:
Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Ev. Lutheran Church.
St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, pp. 538-559.

Note: This version of the Small Catechism is under continuous
revision. Please check your source for this file from time to time to
obtain updated versions of this text.

Fort Wayne, Indiana: Project Wittenberg, 2004

I. The Ten Commandments
The Simple Way a Father Should Present Them to His Household

The First Commandment

You must not have other gods. (Exodus 20:3)

What does this mean?

We must fear, love, and trust God more than anything else.

The Second Commandment

You must not misuse your God's name. (Exodus 20:7)

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that we will not use His name to curse,
swear, cast a spell, lie or deceive, but will use it to call upon Him,
pray to Him, praise Him and thank Him in all times of trouble.

The Third Commandment

You must keep the Sabbath holy. (Exodus 20:8)

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that we will not look down on preaching
or God's Word, but consider it holy, listen to it willingly, and learn
it.

The Fourth Commandment

You must honor your father and mother. [So that things will go well for
you and you will live long on earth]. (Exodus 20:12)

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that we will neither look down on our
parents or superiors nor irritate them, but will honor them, serve
them, obey them, love them and value them.

The Fifth Commandment

You must not kill. (Exodus 20:13)

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that we will neither harm nor hurt our
neighbor's body, but help him and care for him when he is ill.

The Sixth Commandment

You must not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that our words and actions will be clean
and decent and so that everyone will love and honor their spouses.

The Seventh Commandment

You must not steal. (Exodus 20:15)

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that we will neither take our neighbor's
money or property, nor acquire it by fraud or by selling him poorly
made products, but will help him improve and protect his property and
career.

The Eighth Commandment

You must not tell lies about your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16 )

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that we will not deceive by lying,
betraying, slandering or ruining our neighbor's reputation, but will
defend him, say good things about him, and see the best side of
everything he does.

The Ninth Commandment

You must not desire your neighbor's house. (Exodus 20:17)

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that we will not attempt to trick our
neighbor out of his inheritance or house, take it by pretending to have
a right to it, etc. but help him to keep & improve it.

The Tenth Commandment

You must not desire your neighbor's wife, servant, maid, animals or
anything that belongs to him. (Exodus 20:17)

What does this mean?

We must fear and love God, so that we will not release our neighbor's
cattle, take his employees from him or seduce his wife, but urge them
to stay and do what they ought to do.

The Conclusion to the Commandments

What does God say to us about all these commandments?

This is what He says:
"I am the Lord Your God. I am a jealous God. I plague the grandchildren
and great-grandchildren of those who hate me with their ancestor's sin.
But I make whole those who love me for a thousand generations." (Exodus
20:5)

What does it mean?

God threatens to punish everyone who breaks these commandments. We
should be afraid of His anger because of this and not violate such
commandments. But He promises grace and all good things to those who
keep such commandments. Because of this, we, too, should love Him,
trust Him, and willingly do what His commandments require.

II. The Creed
The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household

The First Article
On Creation

I believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

What does this mean?

I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to me:
my body and soul, my eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, my
mind and all my senses. He preserves them as well. He gives me clothing
and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and children, fields,
animals and all I own. Every day He abundantly provides everything I
need to nourish this body and life. He protects me against all danger.
he shields and defends me from all evil. He does all this because of
His pure, fatherly and divine goodness and His mercy, not because I've
earned it or deserved it. For all of this, I must thank Him, praise
Him, serve Him and obey Him.