Which commandment explicitly forbids coveting what belongs to your neighbor?

Which commandment explicitly forbids coveting what belongs to your neighbor?

• A. You shall not murder.
• B. You shall not bear false testimony against your neighbor.
• C. You shall not covet...anything that belongs to your neighbor.
• D. You shall not steal.

Answer: (C)

Desire itself can be sin. This item tests the idea that some commands address not only actions but the inner attitude behind them. The commandment about coveting forbids an unhealthy longing to possess anything that belongs to your neighbor. It targets the heart issue—an envious or disordered desire—so that one’s cravings don’t lead to wrong actions. That’s why this option is the best as it directly states not to covet anything that belongs to someone else, covering all kinds of possessions. The other options deal with acts: murder, false testimony, and stealing. Those are about doing things you shouldn’t do, whereas coveting focuses on the feeling or desire that can give rise to those deeds.

Desire itself can be sin. This item tests the idea that some commands address not only actions but the inner attitude behind them. The commandment about coveting forbids an unhealthy longing to possess anything that belongs to your neighbor. It targets the heart issue—an envious or disordered desire—so that one’s cravings don’t lead to wrong actions. That’s why this option is the best as it directly states not to covet anything that belongs to someone else, covering all kinds of possessions. The other options deal with acts: murder, false testimony, and stealing. Those are about doing things you shouldn’t do, whereas coveting focuses on the feeling or desire that can give rise to those deeds.