# Small Catechism *Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-19 — 1 clipping.* --- > Christian Texts Luther Index > > Luther's Little Instruction Book > (The Small Catechism of Martin Luther) > Translation by Robert E. Smith > May 22, 1994 > Version 1.1 -- December 22, 1994 > PW# 001-003-002Ea > > I. The Ten Commandments: The Simple Way a Father Should Present > Them to His Household > > A. The First Commandment > > You must not have other gods. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. We must fear, love, and trust God more than anything else. > > B. The Second Commandment > > You must not misuse your God's name. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. 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. > > C. The Third Commandment > > You must keep the Sabbath holy. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. 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. > > D. 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]. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. 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. > > E. The Fifth Commandment > > You must not kill. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. 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. > > F. The Sixth Commandment > > You must not commit adultery. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. 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. > > G. The Seventh Commandment > > You must not steal. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. 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. > > H. The Eighth Commandment > > You must not tell lies about your neighbor. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. 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. > > I. The Ninth Commandment > > You must not desire your neighbor's house. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. 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. > > J. The Tenth Commandment > > You must not desire your neighbor's wife, servant, maid, animals > or anything that belongs to him. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not release his > cattle, take his employees from him or seduce his wife, but urge > they to stay and do what they ought to do. > > K. The Conclusion to the Commandments > > Q. What does God say to us about all these commandments? > > A. 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.'' > > Q. What does it mean? > > A. 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. > > > > Part Two: The Creed > > > The Creed: The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household > > I. The First Article: On Creation > > I believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to > me: body and soul, eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, > my mind and all my senses and 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, 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 desrved it. > For all of this, I must thank Him, praise Him, serve Him and obey > Him. Yes, this is true! > > II. The Second Article: On Redemption > > And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the > Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, > was crucified, died and was buried, descended to Hell, on the third > day rose again from the dead, ascended to Heaven and sat down at the > right hand of God the Almighty Father. From there He will come to > judge the living and the dead. > > Q. What does this mean? > A. I believe that Jesus Christ is truly God, born of the Father in > eternity and also truly man, born of the Virgin Mary. He is my > Lord! He redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought and won > me from all sins, death and the authority of the Devil. It did not > cost Him gold or silver, but His holy, precious blood, His innocent > body -- His death! Because of this, I am His very own, will live > under Him in His kingdom and serve Him righteously, innocently and > blessedly forever, just as He is risen from death, lives and reigns > forever. Yes, this is true. > > III. The Third Article: On Becoming Holy > > I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the community > of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, > and an everlasting life. Amen. > > Q. What does this mean? > A. I believe that I cannot come to my Lord Jesus Christ by my own > intellegence or power. But the Holy Spirit call me by the Gospel, > enlightened me with His gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true > faith, just as He calls, gathers together, enlightens and makes holy > the whole Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus in the one, true > faith. In this Church, He generously forgives each day every sin > committed by me and by every believer. On the last day, He will raise > me and all the dead from the grave. He will give eternal life to me > and to all who believe in Christ. Yes, this is true! > > > > > Part Three: The Lord's Prayer > > > > The Our Father > The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household > > I. Introduction > Our Father, Who is in Heaven. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. In this introduction, God invites us to believe that He is our real > Father and we are His real children, so that we will pray with > trust and complete confidence, in the same way beloved children > approach their beloved Father with their requests. > > II. The First Request > May Your name be holy. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. Of course, God's name is holy in and of itself, but by this > request, we pray that He will make it holy among us, too. > > Q. How does this take place? > A. When God's Word is taught clearly and purely, and when we live holy > lives as God's children based upon it. Help us, Heavenly Father, > to do this! But anyone who teaches and lives by something other > than God's Word defiles God's name among us. Protect us from this, > Heavenly Father! > > III. The Second Request > Your Kingdom come. > > Q. What does this mean? > > A. Truly God's Kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer. But we > pray in this request that it come to us as well. > > Q. How does this happen? > A. When the Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that we > believe His holy Word by His grace and live godly lives here in > this age and there in eternal life. > > IV. The Third Request > May Your will be accomplished, as it is Heaven, so may it be on Earth. > > Q. What does this mean? > A. Truly, God's good and gracious will is accomplished without our > prayer. But we pray in this request that is be accomplished among > us as well. > > Q. How does this happen? > A. When God destroys and interferes with every evil will and all evil > advice, which will not allow God's Kingdom to come, such as the > Devil's will, the world's will and will of our bodily desires. It > also happens when God strengthens us by faith and by His Word and > keeps living by them faithfully until the end of our lives. This > is His will, good and full of grace. > > V. The Fourth Request > Give us our daily bread today. > > Q. What does this mean? > A. Truly, God gives daily bread to evil people, even without our > prayer. But we pray in this request that He will help us realize > this and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. > > Q. What does ``Daily Bread'' mean? > A. Everything that nourishes our body and meets its needs, such as: > Food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle, money, > possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees, > devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, > health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors and > other things like these. > > VI. The Fifth Request > And forgive our guilt, as we forgive those guilty of sinning against > us. > > Q. What does this mean? > A. We pray in this request that our Heavenly Father will neither pay > attention to our sins nor refuse requests such as these because of our > sins and because we are neither worthy nor deserve the things for > which we pray. Yet He wants to give them all to us by His grace, > because many times each day we sin and truly deserve only punishment. > Because God does this, we will, of course, want to forgive from our > hearts and willingly do good to those who sin against us. > > VII. The Sixth Request > And lead us not into temptation. > > Q. What does this mean? > A. God tempts no one, of course, but we pray in this request that God > will protect us and save us, so that the Devil, the world and our > bodily desires will neither deceive us nor seduce us into heresy, > despair or other serious shame or vice, and so that we will win and > be victorious in the end, even if they attack us. > > VIII. The Seventh Request > But set us free from the Evil One. > > Q. What does this mean? > A. We pray in this request, as a summary, that our Father in Heaven > will save us from every kind of evil that threatens body, soul, > property and honor. We pray that when at last our final hour has > come, He will grant us a blessed death, and, in His grace, bring us > to Himself from this valley of tears. > > IX. Amen. > Q. What does this mean? > A. That I should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the > Father in Heaven and will be granted, that He Himself has commanded > us to pray in this way and that He promises to answer us. Amen. > Amen. This means: Yes, yes it will happen this way. > > > > > > > Part Four: Holy Baptism > > > The Sacrament of Holy Baptism: > The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household > > I. Q. What is Baptism? > A. Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water contained > within God's command and united with God's Word. > > Q. Which Word of God is this? > A. The one which our Lord Christ spoke in the last chapter of > Matthew: > ``Go into all the world, teaching all heathen nations, and > baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the > Holy Spirit.'' > > II. Q. What does Baptism give? What good is it? > A. It gives the forgiveness of sins, redeems from death and the > Devil, gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just > as God's words and promises declare. > > Q. What are these words and promises of God? > A. Our Lord Christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of Mark: > ``Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever > does not believe will be damned.'' > > III. Q. How can water do such great things? > A. Water doesn't make these things happen, of course. It is God's > Word, which is with and in the water. Because, without God's > Word, the water is plain water and not baptism. But with God's > Word it is a Baptism, a grace-filled water of life, a bath of > new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul said to Titus in the > third chapter: > ``Through this bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, > which He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our > Savior, that we, justified by the same grace are made heirs > according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful > saying.'' > > IV. Q. What is the meaning of such a water Baptism? > A. It means that the old Adam in us should be drowned by daily > sorrow and repentance, and die with all sins and evil lusts, > and, in turn, a new person daily come forth and rise from > death again. He will live forever before God in righteousness > and purity. > > Q. Where is this written? > A. St. Paul says to the Romans in chapter six: > ``We are buried with Christ through Baptism into death, so > that, in the same way Christ is risen from the dead by the > glory of the Father, thus also must we walk in a new life.'' > > > > > > > Part Five: Confession > > > How One Should Teach the Uneducated to Confess > > I. Q. What is confession? > A. Confession has two parts: > > First, a person admits his sin > > Second, a person receives absolution or forgiveness from the > confessor, as if from God Himself, without doubting it, but > believing firmly that his sins are forgiven by God in Heaven > through it. > > II. Q. Which sins should people confess? > > A. When speaking to God, we should plead guilty to all sins, even > those we don't know about, just as we do in the ``Our > Father,'' but when speaking to the confessor, only the sins we > know about, which we know about and feel in our hearts. > > Q. Which are these? > > A. Consider here your place in life according to the Ten > Commandments. Are you a father? A mother? A son? A daughter? > A husband? A wife? A servant? Are you disobedient, unfaithful > or lazy? Have you hurt anyone with your words or actions? Have > you stolen, neglected your duty, let things go or injured > someone? > > > > > > > Part Six: The Sacrament of the Altar > > > The Sacrament of the Altar: > The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to his Household > > I. Q. What is the Sacrament of the Altar? > > A. It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under > bread and wine for us Christians to eat and to drink, > established by Christ Himself. > > II. Q. Where is that written? > > A. The holy apostles Matthew, Mark and Luke and St. Paul > write this: > > ``Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night on which He was > betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to His > disciples and said: ``Take! Eat! This is My body, which is > given for you. Do this to remember Me!'' In the same way He > also took the cup after supper, gave thanks, gave it to > them, and said: ``Take and drink from it, all of you! This > cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you > to forgive sins. This do, as often as you drink it, to > remember Me!'' > > III. Q. What good does this eating and drinking do? > > A. These words tell us: ``Given for you'' and ``Shed for you to > forgive sins.'' Namely, that the forgiveness of sins, life and > salvation are given to us through these words in the > sacrament. Because, where sins are forgiven, there is life and > salvation as well. > > IV. Q. How can physical eating and drinking do such great things? > > A. Of course, eating and drinking do not do these things. These > words, written here, do them: ``given for you'' and ``shed for > you to forgive sins.'' These words, along with physical eating > and drinking are the important part of the sacrament. Anyone > who believes these words has what they say and what they > record, namely, the forgiveness of sins. > > V. Q. Who, then, receives such a sacrament in a worthy way? > > A. Of course, fasting and other physical preparations are > excellent disciplines for the body. But anyone who believes > these words, ``Given for you,'' and ``Shed for you to forgive > sins,'' is really worthy and well prepared. But whoever > doubts or does not believe these words is not worthy and is > unprepared, because the words, ``for you'' demand a heart that > fully believes. > > > > > Morning Prayer > > > My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your > beloved Son, that You kept me safe from all evil and danger last > night. Save me, I pray, today as well, from every evil and sin, so > that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put > myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your > holy Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power > over me. Amen. > > Evening Prayer > > > My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your > beloved Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I > pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your > grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all > that I have. Let Your holy angels be with me, so that the evil > enemy will not gain power over me. Amen. > > > > > > This text was translated in 1994 for Project Wittenberg by Robert E. > Smith and has been placed in the public domain by him. You may freely > distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or > suggestions to Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at: > > Concordia Theological Seminary. > E-mail: CFWLibrary@CRF.CUIS.EDU > Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA > Phone: (219) 481-2123 Fax: (219) 481-2126 > > — *Small Catechism*