The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is 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.”
- KJV And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none 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.”
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 one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- Matt 22:39A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
- Lev 19:18“‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.
- Luke 10:27He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
- 1 Cor 13:4–8Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,
- Matt 7:12Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
- Gal 5:14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- 1 Jn 4:21This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.
- 1 Jn 4:7–8Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God.
- Matt 19:18–19He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’
- Jas 2:8–13However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
- Luke 10:36–37Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?”
- 1 Jn 3:17–19But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?
- Lev 19:13“‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. “‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.