Which is the ninth commandment?

Which is the ninth commandment?

• A. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
• B. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.
• C. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
• D. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.

Answer: (D)

This commandment tackles our interior life, forbidding lustful desire toward a neighbor's spouse. Coveting your neighbor's wife means letting inordinate longing enter the heart for someone who is already vowed to another, which harms the dignity of the person, weakens the bond of marriage, and can lead to actions that damage families and communities. By guarding these inner thoughts, the moral law aims to preserve chastity, fidelity, and respect for persons. This is distinct from coveting a neighbor's goods, which concerns material possessions and is the focus of the tenth commandment. Other options point to different commandments—truthfulness, Sabbath devotion—so they address separate matters.

This commandment tackles our interior life, forbidding lustful desire toward a neighbor's spouse. Coveting your neighbor's wife means letting inordinate longing enter the heart for someone who is already vowed to another, which harms the dignity of the person, weakens the bond of marriage, and can lead to actions that damage families and communities. By guarding these inner thoughts, the moral law aims to preserve chastity, fidelity, and respect for persons. This is distinct from coveting a neighbor's goods, which concerns material possessions and is the focus of the tenth commandment. Other options point to different commandments—truthfulness, Sabbath devotion—so they address separate matters.