Answer
The number 613 is often cited as the number of commandments in the Old Testament Law; however, there is no verse in the Bible that gives 613 as the correct enumeration. There are other counts as well. There is no universal agreement among Jews or Christians that there are exactly 613 laws given by God through Moses.
In any calculation of the number of commandments in the Mosaic Law, complications arise. For example, if a command occurs in Exodus and is then repeated in Deuteronomy, does that count as one commandment or two? Further, some commandments can be understood as clarifications of other commandments rather than additional commandments.
There is some debate as to who first came up with 613 as the number of commandments. The Talmud points to Rabbi Simlai in the 3rd century AD as the originator. However, there is no record of Rabbi Simlai listing all 613 commandments. The most commonly accepted breakdown was done by Maimonides in the 12th century AD. Maimonides further divided the 613 commandments into positive, “do this” commandments, numbering 248, and negative, “do not do this” commandments, numbering 365.
Biblically speaking, whether or not 613 is the correct count is not that important. The purpose of the Law was to point us to Christ. Galatians 3:24 says, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (NKJV). No one can perfectly obey all the commandments, no matter how many or few there are (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23). In fact, no one can even perfectly obey the Ten Commandments. The Law makes our sinfulness evident (Romans 7:7). God gave the Law to define sin and demonstrate our need for a Savior. Jesus is the only one who has perfectly obeyed the Law. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He fulfilled all of God’s righteous commands (Matthew 5:17–18).
For more information on how faith in Jesus saves us from the condemnation of the Law, please read our article “What does it mean that Jesus saves?”
Below is a list of the 613 commandments found in the Old Testament Law. Note that some verses contain more than one command:
1. Genesis 1:28
2. Genesis 32:32
3. Exodus 12:2
4. Exodus 12:6
5. Exodus 12:8
6. Exodus 12:9
7. Exodus 12:10
8. Exodus 12:15
9. Exodus 12:18
10. Exodus 12:19
11. Exodus 12:20
12. Exodus 12:43
13. Exodus 12:45
14. Exodus 12:46
15. Exodus 12:46
16. Exodus 12:48
17. Exodus 12:48
18. Exodus 13:3
19. Exodus 13:7
20. Exodus 13:8
21. Exodus 13:12
22. Exodus 13:13
23. Exodus 13:13
24. Exodus 16:29
25. Exodus 20:3
26. Exodus 20:4
27. Exodus 20:5
28. Exodus 20:5
29. Exodus 20:7
30. Exodus 20:8
31. Exodus 20:10
32. Exodus 20:12
33. Exodus 20:13
34. Exodus 20:14
35. Exodus 20:15
36. Exodus 20:16
37. Exodus 20:17
38. Exodus 20:24
39. Exodus 20:26
40. Exodus 20:23
41. Exodus 21:2
42. Exodus 21:8
43. Exodus 21:8
44. Exodus 21:8
45. Exodus 21:10
46. Exodus 21:15
47. Exodus 21:17
48. Exodus 21:18
49. Exodus 21:20
50. Exodus 21:28
51. Exodus 21:28
52. Exodus 21:34
53. Exodus 21:36
54. Exodus 22:4
55. Exodus 22:5
56. Exodus 22:6
57. Exodus 22:8
58. Exodus 22:9
59. Exodus 22:13
60. Exodus 22:16–17
61. Exodus 22:18
62. Exodus 22:21
63. Exodus 22:21
64. Exodus 22:22
65. Exodus 22:25
66. Exodus 22:25
67. Exodus 22:25
68. Exodus 22:28
69. Exodus 22:28
70. Exodus 22:29
71. Exodus 22:29
72. Exodus 22:30
73. Exodus 23:1
74. Exodus 23:1
75. Exodus 23:2
76. Exodus 23:2
77. Exodus 23:3
78. Exodus 23:5
79. Exodus 23:6
80. Exodus 23:7
81. Exodus 23:8
82. Exodus 23:11
83. Exodus 23:12
84. Exodus 23:13
85. Exodus 23:13
86. Exodus 23:14
87. Exodus 23:18
88. Exodus 23:18
89. Exodus 23:19
90. Exodus 23:19
91. Exodus 23:25
92. Exodus 23:33
93. Exodus 25:8
94. Exodus 25:15
95. Exodus 25:30
96. Exodus 27:21
97. Exodus 28:2
98. Exodus 28:28
99. Exodus 28:32
100. Exodus 29:33
101. Exodus 29:33
102. Exodus 30:7
103. Exodus 30:9
104. Exodus 30:13
105. Exodus 30:19
106. Exodus 30:31
107. Exodus 30:32
108. Exodus 30:32
109. Exodus 30:37
110. Exodus 34:21
111. Exodus 34:26
112. Exodus 35:3
113. Leviticus 1:3
114. Leviticus 2:1
115. Leviticus 2:11
116. Leviticus 2:13
117. Leviticus 2:13
118. Leviticus 3:17
119. Leviticus 3:17
120. Leviticus 4:13–14
121. Leviticus 4:27–28
122. Leviticus 5:1
123. Leviticus 5:7-11
124. Leviticus 5:8
125. Leviticus 5:11
126. Leviticus 5:11
127. Leviticus 5:16
128. Leviticus 5:17–18
129. Leviticus 6:4–5
130. Leviticus 6:6
131. Leviticus 6:10
132. Leviticus 6:13
133. Leviticus 6:16
134. Leviticus 6:18
135. Leviticus 6:23
136. Leviticus 6:3
137. Leviticus 6:5
138. Leviticus 6:5
139. Leviticus 6:9
140. Leviticus 7:1
141. Leviticus 7:11
142. Leviticus 7:17
143. Leviticus 7:18
144. Leviticus 7:19
145. Leviticus 7:19
146. Leviticus 7:20
147. Leviticus 10:6
148. Leviticus 10:6
149. Leviticus 10:7
150. Leviticus 10:9
151. Leviticus 10:19
152. Leviticus 11:2
153. Leviticus 11:4
154. Leviticus 11:9
155. Leviticus 11:11
156. Leviticus 11:13
157. Leviticus 11:21
158. Leviticus 11:29
159. Leviticus 11:34
160. Leviticus 11:39
161. Leviticus 11:41
162. Leviticus 11:42
163. Leviticus 11:43
164. Leviticus 11:44
165. Leviticus 12:2
166. Leviticus 12:3
167. Leviticus 12:6
168. Leviticus 13:12
169. Leviticus 13:33
170. Leviticus 13:45
171. Leviticus 13:47
172. Leviticus 14:2
173. Leviticus 14:9
174. Leviticus 14:10
175. Leviticus 14:35
176. Leviticus 15:3
177. Leviticus 15:13–14
178. Leviticus 15:16
179. Leviticus 15:16
180. Leviticus 15:19
181. Leviticus 15:25
182. Leviticus 15:28–29
183. Leviticus 16:2
184. Leviticus 16:3
185. Leviticus 16:29
186. Leviticus 17:4
187. Leviticus 17:13
188. Leviticus 18:6
189. Leviticus 18:7
190. Leviticus 18:7
191. Leviticus 18:8
192. Leviticus 18:9
193. Leviticus 18:10
194. Leviticus 18:10
195. Leviticus 18:10
196. Leviticus 18:11
197. Leviticus 18:12
198. Leviticus 18:13
199. Leviticus 18:14
200. Leviticus 18:14
201. Leviticus 18:15
202. Leviticus 18:16
203. Leviticus 18:17
204. Leviticus 18:17
205. Leviticus 18:17
206. Leviticus 18:18
207. Leviticus 18:19
208. Leviticus 18:20
209. Leviticus 18:21
210. Leviticus 18:22
211. Leviticus 18:23
212. Leviticus 18:23
213. Leviticus 19:3
214. Leviticus 19:4
215. Leviticus 19:4
216. Leviticus 19:8
217. Leviticus 19:9
218. Leviticus 19:9
219. Leviticus 19:9
220. Leviticus 19:10
221. Leviticus 19:10
222. Leviticus 19:10
223. Leviticus 19:10
224. Leviticus 19:10
225. Leviticus 19:11
226. Leviticus 19:11
227. Leviticus 19:11
228. Leviticus 19:12
229. Leviticus 19:13
230. Leviticus 19:13
231. Leviticus 19:13
232. Leviticus 19:14
233. Leviticus 19:14
234. Leviticus 19:15
235. Leviticus 19:15
236. Leviticus 19:15
237. Leviticus 19:15
238. Leviticus 19:16
239. Leviticus 19:16
240. Leviticus 19:17
241. Leviticus 19:17
242. Leviticus 19:17
243. Leviticus 19:18
244. Leviticus 19:18
245. Leviticus 19:18
246. Leviticus 19:19
247. Leviticus 19:19
248. Leviticus 19:23
249. Leviticus 19:24
250. Leviticus 19:26
251. Leviticus 19:26
252. Leviticus 19:27
253. Leviticus 19:27
254. Leviticus 19:28
255. Leviticus 19:30
256. Leviticus 19:31
257. Leviticus 19:31
258. Leviticus 19:32
259. Leviticus 19:35
260. Leviticus 19:36
261. Leviticus 20:10
262. Leviticus 20:14
263. Leviticus 20:23
264. Leviticus 21:1
265. Leviticus 21:6
266. Leviticus 21:7
267. Leviticus 21:7
268. Leviticus 21:7
269. Leviticus 21:8
270. Leviticus 21:11
271. Leviticus 21:11
272. Leviticus 21:13
273. Leviticus 21:14
274. Leviticus 21:14
275. Leviticus 21:17
276. Leviticus 21:18
277. Leviticus 21:23
278. Leviticus 22:2
279. Leviticus 22:4
280. Leviticus 22:10
281. Leviticus 22:10
282. Leviticus 22:12
283. Leviticus 22:15
284. Leviticus 22:20
285. Leviticus 22:21
286. Leviticus 22:21
287. Leviticus 22:22
288. Leviticus 22:22
289. Leviticus 22:24
290. Leviticus 22:24
291. Leviticus 22:25
292. Leviticus 22:27
293. Leviticus 22:28
294. Leviticus 22:30
295. Leviticus 22:32
296. Leviticus 22:32
297. Leviticus 23:8
298. Leviticus 23:8
299. Leviticus 23:8
300. Leviticus 23:8
301. Leviticus 23:10
302. Leviticus 23:14
303. Leviticus 23:14
304. Leviticus 23:14
305. Leviticus 23:15
306. Leviticus 23:18
307. Leviticus 23:21
308. Leviticus 23:21
309. Leviticus 23:24
310. Leviticus 23:25
311. Leviticus 23:29
312. Leviticus 23:31
313. Leviticus 23:32
314. Leviticus 23:35
315. Leviticus 23:35
316. Leviticus 23:36
317. Leviticus 23:36
318. Leviticus 23:40
319. Leviticus 23:42
320. Leviticus 25:4
321. Leviticus 25:4
322. Leviticus 25:5
323. Leviticus 25:5
324. Leviticus 25:8
325. Leviticus 25:9
326. Leviticus 25:10
327. Leviticus 25:11
328. Leviticus 25:11
329. Leviticus 25:11
330. Leviticus 25:14
331. Leviticus 25:14
332. Leviticus 25:17
333. Leviticus 25:23
334. Leviticus 25:24
335. Leviticus 25:29
336. Leviticus 25:34
337. Leviticus 25:37
338. Leviticus 25:39
339. Leviticus 25:42
340. Leviticus 25:43
341. Leviticus 25:46
342. Leviticus 25:53
343. Leviticus 26:1
344. Leviticus 27:2
345. Leviticus 27:10
346. Leviticus 27:10
347. Leviticus 27:12–13
348. Leviticus 27:14
349. Leviticus 27:16
350. Leviticus 27:26
351. Leviticus 27:28
352. Leviticus 27:28
353. Leviticus 27:28
354. Leviticus 27:32
355. Leviticus 27:33
356. Numbers 5:2
357. Numbers 5:3
358. Numbers 5:7
359. Numbers 5:15
360. Numbers 5:15
361. Numbers 5:30
362. Numbers 6:3
363. Numbers 6:3
364. Numbers 6:3
365. Numbers 6:4
366. Numbers 6:4
367. Numbers 6:5
368. Numbers 6:5
369. Numbers 6:6
370. Numbers 6:7
371. Numbers 6:18
372. Numbers 6:23
373. Numbers 7:9
374. Numbers 9:11
375. Numbers 9:11
376. Numbers 9:12
377. Numbers 9:12
378. Numbers 10:9
379. Numbers 15:20
380. Numbers 15:38
381. Numbers 15:39
382. Numbers 18:3
383. Numbers 18:3
384. Numbers 18:4
385. Numbers 18:5
386. Numbers 18:15
387. Numbers 18:17
388. Numbers 18:23
389. Numbers 18:24
390. Numbers 18:26
391. Numbers 19:14
392. Numbers 19:21
393. Numbers 19:9
394. Numbers 27:8
395. Numbers 28:3
396. Numbers 28:9–10
397. Numbers 28:11–15
398. Numbers 28:19
399. Numbers 28:26
400. Numbers 29:1
401. Numbers 29:2
402. Numbers 29:8
403. Numbers 29:13
404. Numbers 29:35
405. Numbers 30:2
406. Numbers 30:2
407. Numbers 35:2
408. Numbers 35:12
409. Numbers 35:12
410. Numbers 35:25
411. Numbers 35:30
412. Numbers 35:31
413. Numbers 35:32
414. Deuteronomy 1:17
415. Deuteronomy 1:17
416. Deuteronomy 5:18–22
417. Deuteronomy 6:4
418. Deuteronomy 6:5
419. Deuteronomy 6:7
420. Deuteronomy 6:7
421. Deuteronomy 6:8
422. Deuteronomy 6:8
423. Deuteronomy 6:9
424. Deuteronomy 6:16
425. Deuteronomy 7:2
426. Deuteronomy 7:2
427. Deuteronomy 7:3
428. Deuteronomy 7:25
429. Deuteronomy 7:26
430. Deuteronomy 8:10
431. Deuteronomy 10:19
432. Deuteronomy 10:20
433. Deuteronomy 10:20
434. Deuteronomy 10:20
435. Deuteronomy 12:2
436. Deuteronomy 12:4
437. Deuteronomy 12:5–6
438. Deuteronomy 12:11
439. Deuteronomy 12:13
440. Deuteronomy 12:15
441. Deuteronomy 12:17
442. Deuteronomy 12:17
443. Deuteronomy 12:17
444. Deuteronomy 12:17
445. Deuteronomy 12:17
446. Deuteronomy 12:17
447. Deuteronomy 12:17
448. Deuteronomy 12:17
449. Deuteronomy 12:19
450. Deuteronomy 12:21
451. Deuteronomy 12:23
452. Deuteronomy 12:26
453. Deuteronomy 12:32
454. Deuteronomy 12:32
455. Deuteronomy 13:4
456. Deuteronomy 13:8
457. Deuteronomy 13:8
458. Deuteronomy 13:8
459. Deuteronomy 13:8
460. Deuteronomy 13:8
461. Deuteronomy 13:11
462. Deuteronomy 13:15
463. Deuteronomy 13:16
464. Deuteronomy 13:16
465. Deuteronomy 13:17
466. Deuteronomy 14:1
467. Deuteronomy 14:1
468. Deuteronomy 14:3
469. Deuteronomy 14:11
470. Deuteronomy 14:19
471. Deuteronomy 14:21
472. Deuteronomy 14:22
473. Deuteronomy 14:28
474. Deuteronomy 15:2
475. Deuteronomy 15:3
476. Deuteronomy 15:3
477. Deuteronomy 15:7
478. Deuteronomy 15:9
479. Deuteronomy 15:11
480. Deuteronomy 15:13
481. Deuteronomy 15:14
482. Deuteronomy 15:19
483. Deuteronomy 15:19
484. Deuteronomy 16:3
485. Deuteronomy 16:4
486. Deuteronomy 16:14
487. Deuteronomy 16:16
488. Deuteronomy 16:16
489. Deuteronomy 16:18
490. Deuteronomy 16:21
491. Deuteronomy 16:22
492. Deuteronomy 17:1
493. Deuteronomy 17:11
494. Deuteronomy 17:11
495. Deuteronomy 17:15
496. Deuteronomy 17:15
497. Deuteronomy 17:16
498. Deuteronomy 17:16
499. Deuteronomy 17:17
500. Deuteronomy 17:17
501. Deuteronomy 17:18
502. Deuteronomy 18:1
503. Deuteronomy 18:2
504. Deuteronomy 18:3
505. Deuteronomy 18:4
506. Deuteronomy 18:4
507. Deuteronomy 18:6–8
508. Deuteronomy 18:10
509. Deuteronomy 18:10
510. Deuteronomy 18:11
511. Deuteronomy 18:11
512. Deuteronomy 18:11
513. Deuteronomy 18:11
514. Deuteronomy 18:15
515. Deuteronomy 18:20
516. Deuteronomy 18:20
517. Deuteronomy 18:22
518. Deuteronomy 19:3
519. Deuteronomy 19:13
520. Deuteronomy 19:14
521. Deuteronomy 19:15
522. Deuteronomy 19:19
523. Deuteronomy 20:2
524. Deuteronomy 20:3
525. Deuteronomy 20:10
526. Deuteronomy 20:16
527. Deuteronomy 20:17
528. Deuteronomy 20:19
529. Deuteronomy 21:4
530. Deuteronomy 21:4
531. Deuteronomy 21:11
532. Deuteronomy 21:14
533. Deuteronomy 21:14
534. Deuteronomy 21:20
535. Deuteronomy 21:22
536. Deuteronomy 21:23
537. Deuteronomy 21:23
538. Deuteronomy 22:1
539. Deuteronomy 22:3
540. Deuteronomy 22:4
541. Deuteronomy 22:4
542. Deuteronomy 22:5
543. Deuteronomy 22:5
544. Deuteronomy 22:6
545. Deuteronomy 22:7
546. Deuteronomy 22:8
547. Deuteronomy 22:8
548. Deuteronomy 22:9
549. Deuteronomy 22:9
550. Deuteronomy 22:10
551. Deuteronomy 22:11
552. Deuteronomy 22:19
553. Deuteronomy 22:19
554. Deuteronomy 22:24
555. Deuteronomy 22:26
556. Deuteronomy 22:29
557. Deuteronomy 22:29
558. Deuteronomy 23:1
559. Deuteronomy 23:2
560. Deuteronomy 23:3
561. Deuteronomy 23:6
562. Deuteronomy 23:7–8
563. Deuteronomy 23:7-8
564. Deuteronomy 23:10
565. Deuteronomy 23:12
566. Deuteronomy 23:13
567. Deuteronomy 23:15
568. Deuteronomy 23:16
569. Deuteronomy 23:17
570. Deuteronomy 23:18
571. Deuteronomy 23:19
572. Deuteronomy 23:20
573. Deuteronomy 23:21
574. Deuteronomy 23:23
575. Deuteronomy 23:24
576. Deuteronomy 23:24
577. Deuteronomy 23:25
578. Deuteronomy 24:1
579. Deuteronomy 24:1
580. Deuteronomy 24:4
581. Deuteronomy 24:5
582. Deuteronomy 24:5
583. Deuteronomy 24:6
584. Deuteronomy 24:8
585. Deuteronomy 24:10
586. Deuteronomy 24:12
587. Deuteronomy 24:13
588. Deuteronomy 24:15
589. Deuteronomy 24:16
590. Deuteronomy 24:17
591. Deuteronomy 24:17
592. Deuteronomy 24:19
593. Deuteronomy 24:19
594. Deuteronomy 25:2
595. Deuteronomy 25:3
596. Deuteronomy 25:4
597. Deuteronomy 25:5
598. Deuteronomy 25:5
599. Deuteronomy 25:9
600. Deuteronomy 25:12
601. Deuteronomy 25:13
602. Deuteronomy 25:17
603. Deuteronomy 25:19
604. Deuteronomy 25:19
605. Deuteronomy 26:5
606. Deuteronomy 26:13
607. Deuteronomy 26:14
608. Deuteronomy 26:14
609. Deuteronomy 26:14
610. Deuteronomy 28:9
611. Deuteronomy 31:12
612. Deuteronomy 31:19
613. Deuteronomy 32:38
