Which commandment protects the right to own possessions?

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

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how biblical laws protect what people own. Not stealing directly safeguards the right to own possessions by forbidding taking someone else’s belongings. When stealing is forbidden, people can rely on the security of their property and engage in honest exchange without fear of sudden loss.

Not coveting addresses desire for others’ possessions, which can lead to wrongdoing, but it doesn’t itself stop someone from taking. Not murdering protects life rather than property, and not bearing false testimony protects truth in legal matters, which can influence disputes over possessions but doesn’t directly establish ownership. So the rule that most clearly preserves the right to own possessions is the commandment not to steal.