And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Parallel translations
- WEB The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
- BSB The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
- NKJV And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
- NASB The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
- NLT The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus adds the second commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself, saying none is greater than these.
Overview
Citing Leviticus 19:18, Jesus joins love for neighbor to love for God as the summary of the whole Law. The two commandments together capture what God requires of His people. In Christ, who loved God perfectly and laid down His life for others, this twofold love is both fulfilled and made possible for us.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Rom 13:8–9Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
- Matt 22:39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
- Lev 19:18Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
- Luke 10:27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
- 1 Cor 13:4–8Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
- Matt 7:12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
- Gal 5:14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
- 1 Jn 4:21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
- 1 Jn 4:7–8Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
- Matt 19:18–19He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
- Jas 2:8–13If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
- Luke 10:36–37Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
- 1 Jn 3:17–19But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
- Lev 19:13Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 12:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.