Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Parallel Translations
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Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
This is the first and great commandment.
A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
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Iesus sayde vnto him: love the Lorde thy God with all thine herte with all thy soule and with all thy mynde.
This is the fyrst and the chefe comaundement.
And ther is another lyke vnto this. Love thyne neghbour as thy selfe.
In these two commaundemetes hange all the lawe and the Prophetes.
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Iesus sayd to him, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy minde.
This is the first and the great commandement.
And the second is like vnto this, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe.
On these two commandements hangeth the whole Lawe, and the Prophets.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (3)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (26)
- Mark 12:29-30 (v37) Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,…
- Luke 10:27 (v37) He 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…
- Deuteronomy 6:5 (v37) You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.
- Deuteronomy 10:12 (v37) Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve…
- Mark 12:33 (v37) and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor…
Show all 25 cross-references
- Deuteronomy 30:6 (v37) Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your…
- Mark 12:31 (v39) The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
- Luke 10:27-37 (v39) He 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…
- Leviticus 19:18 (v39) “ ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I…
- Romans 13:9-10 (v39) For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever…
- 1 John 5:2-5 (v37) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is loving God, that we keep his…
- Hebrews 10:16-17 (v37) “This is the covenant that I will make with them: ‘After those days,’ says the Lord, ‘I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write…
- Romans 8:7 (v37) because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.
- Romans 13:9 (v40) For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever…
- Galatians 5:14 (v39) For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Matthew 19:19 (v39) ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
- Romans 15:2 (v39) Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.
- James 2:8 (vv39–40) However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
- Matthew 7:12 (v40) Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
- Galatians 6:10 (v39) So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.
- 1 John 4:19-21 (v40) We love him, because he first loved us. If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his…
- John 1:17 (v40) For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
- 1 John 4:7-11 (v40) Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. He who doesn’t love…
- 1 Timothy 1:5 (v40) but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith,
- Romans 3:19-21 (v40) Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world…
25 distinct cross-references across this passage (26 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv37, 39 The Hebrew text readeth, Deut. 6:5, with thine heart,…
The Hebrew text readeth, Deut. 6:5, with thine heart, soul, and strength: and in Mark 12:30 and Luke 10:27 we read with soul, heart, strength and thought.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv37–40 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the…
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Ver. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord] God must be loved and honoured by us, η ολος η μη ολως, saith one; truly, that there be no halting, and totally, that there be no halving; he will not divide with the devil, as the Circassians are said to divide their whole life between rapine and religion. God’s service must be the totum hominis, Ecc 12:13, and the bonum hominis, Mic 6:8. We should love him infinitely; which, because we cannot, we must love him unfeignedly; but how far short we come in loving him with all our heart, soul, strength, &c. (which yet the Papists affirm feasible), appears by our lives, which, do what we can, are fuller of sins than the firmament is of stars or the furnace of sparks.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv37–40 On these two commandments hang all the law and…
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Not that all that is contained in the five books of Moses, and in the books of the prophets, and other writings of the Old Testament, is comprehended in, and is reducible to these two precepts; for there are many things delivered by way of promise, written by way of history, &c. which cannot, by any means, be brought into these two general heads: but that everything respecting duty that is suggested in the law, or is more largely explained and pressed in any of the writings of the prophets, is summarily comprehended in these two sayings: hence love is the fulfilling of the law; see Rom 13:8. The substance of the law is love; and the writings of the prophets, as to the preceptive part of them, are an explanation of the law, and an enlargement upon it: hence the Jews have a saying (c), that "all the prophets stood on Mount Sinai", and received their prophecies there, because the sum of them, as to the duty part, was then delivered. Beza thinks, that here is an allusion to the "phylacteries", or frontlets, which hung upon their foreheads and hands, as a memorial of the law. And certain it is, that the first of these commands, and which is said to be the greatest, was written in these phylacteries. Some take the phrase, "on these hang all the law and the prophets", to be a mere Latinism, but it is really an Hebraism, and often to be met with in the Jewish writings: so Maimonides says (d),
"the knowledge of this matter is an affirmative precept, as it is said, "I am the Lord thy God"; and he that imagines there is another God besides this, transgresses a negative, as it is said, "thou shalt have no other Gods before me"; and he denies the fundamental point, for this is the great foundation, , "on which all hang":
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and so the word is used in many other places (e). The sense is plainly this, that all that are in the law and prophets are consistent with, and dependent on these things; and are, as the Persic version renders the word, "comprehended" in them, and cannot be separated from them,
(c) Jarchi in Isa. xlviii. 16. & in Mal. i. 1. (d) Hilch. Yesode Hatorah, c. 1. sect. 6. (e) Vid. Abkath Rokel. l. 1. p. 3.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv37, 39 Deut. vi, 5.
Deut. vi, 5.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv37–40 Verse 37. Thou shalt love the Lord] This is…
Verse 37. Thou shalt love the Lord] This is a subject of the greatest importance, and should be well understood, as our Lord shows that the whole of true religion is comprised in thus loving God and our neighbour.
It may not be unnecessary to inquire into the literal meaning of the word love. αγαπη, from αγαπαω, I love, is supposed to be compounded either of αγαν and ποιειν, to act vehemently or intensely; or, from αγειν κατα παν, because love is always active, and will act in every possible way; for he who loves is, with all his affection and desire, carried forward to the beloved object, in order to possess and enjoy it. Some derive it from αγαν and παυεσθαι, to be completely at rest, or, to be intensely satisfied; because he who loves is supremely contented with, and rests completely satisfied in, that which he loves. Others, from αγαν and παω, because a person eagerly embraces, and vigorously holds fast, that which is the object of his love. Lastly, others suppose it to be compounded of αγαω, I admire, and παυομαι, I rest, because that which a man loves intensely he rests in, with fixed admiration and contemplation. So that genuine love changes not, but always abides steadily attached to that which is loved.
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Whatever may be thought of these etymologies, as being either just or probable, one thing will be evident to all those who know what love means, that they throw much light upon the subject, and manifest it in a variety of striking points of view. The ancient author of a MS. Lexicon in the late French king's library, under the word αγαπη, has the following definition: σπαϚος προθεσις επι τη φιλια του φιλουμενου - Σομψυχια. "A pleasing surrender of friendship to a friend: - an identity or sameness of soul." A sovereign preference given to one above all others, present or absent: a concentration of all the thoughts and desires in a single object, which a man prefers to all others. Apply this definition to the love which God requires of his creatures, and you will have the most correct view of the subject. Hence it appears that, by this love, the soul eagerly cleaves to, affectionately admires, and constantly rests in God, supremely pleased and satisfied with him as its portion: that it acts from him, as its author; for him, as its master; and to him, as its end. That, by it, all the powers and faculties of the mind are concentrated in tho Lord of the universe. That, by it, the whole man is willingly surrendered to the Most High: and that, through it, an identity, or sameness of spirit with the Lord is acquired-the man being made a partaker of the Divine nature, having the mind in him which was in Christ, and thus dwelling in God, and God in him.
But what is implied in loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, strength, c., and when may a man be said to do this?
1. He loves God with all his heart, who loves nothing in comparison of him, and nothing but in reference to him: - who is ready to give up, do, or suffer any thing in order to please and glorify him:-who has in his heart neither love nor hatred, hope nor fear, inclination, nor aversion, desire, nor delight, but as they relate to God, and are regulated by him.
2. He loves God with all his soul, or rather, εν ολη τη ψυχη, with all his life, who is ready to give up life for his sake - to endure all sorts of torments, and to be deprived of all kinds of comforts, rather than dishonour God: - who employs life with all its comforts, and conveniences, to glorify God in, by, and through all: - to whom life and death are nothing, but as they come from and lead to God, From this Divine principle sprang the blood of the martyrs, which became the seed of the Church. They overcame through the blood of the Lamb, and loved not their lives unto the death. See Re 12:11.
3. He loves God with all his strength (Mr 12:30 Lu 10:27) who exerts all the powers of his body and soul in the service of God: - who, for the glory of his Maker, spares neither labour nor cost - who sacrifices his time, body, health, ease, for the honour of God his Divine Master: - who employs in his service all his goods, his talents, his power, credit, authority, and influence.
4. He loves God with all his mind (intellect - διανοια) who applies himself only to know God, and his holy will: - who receives with submission, gratitude, and pleasure, the sacred truths which God has revealed to man: - who studies no art nor science but as far as it is necessary for the service of God, and uses it at all times to promote his glory - who forms no projects nor designs but in reference to God and the interests of mankind: - who banishes from his understanding and memory every useless, foolish, and dangerous thought, together with every idea which has any tendency to defile his soul, or turn it for a moment from the centre of eternal repose. In a word, he who sees God in all things - thinks of him at all times - having his mind continually fixed upon God, acknowledging him in all his ways - who begins, continues, and ends all his thoughts, words, and works, to the glory of his name: - this is the person who loves God with all his heart, life, strength, and intellect. He is crucified to the world, and the world to him: he lives, yet not he, but Christ lives in him. He beholds as in a glass the glory of the Lord, and is changed into the same image from glory to glory. Simply and constantly looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of his faith, he receives continual supplies of enlightening and sanctifying grace, and is thus fitted for every good word and work. O glorious state! far, far, beyond this description! which comprises an ineffable communion between the ever-blessed Trinity and the soul of man!
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v37 Mat 22:37-40. Jesus said, Thou shalt love the Lord…
Mat 22:37-40. Jesus said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart — Concerning this first and great commandment, and the words wherewith Moses prefaced it, see note on Deu 6:5; and for the elucidation of this whole paragraph, see the notes on Mar 12:28-34, where the conversation which our Lord had with this scribe is related more at large. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets — That is, they contain the substance or abridgment of all the religious and moral duties contained in the law and the prophets, which therefore may be all said to hang or depend on them. The expression, says Dr. Whitby, is a metaphor taken from a custom mentioned by Tertullian of hanging up their laws in a public place to be seen of all men; and it imports that in these precepts is compendiously contained all that the law and prophets require, in reference to our duty to God and man; for though there be some precepts of temperance which we owe to ourselves, yet are they such as we may be moved to perform from the true love of God and of our neighbour; whom if we truly love we cannot be wanting in them. For the love of God will make us humble and contented with our lot; it will preserve us from all intemperance, impatience, and unholy desires; it will make us watchful over ourselves, that we may keep a good conscience, and solicitous for our eternal welfare. And the love of our neighbour will free us from all angry passions, envy, malice, revenge, and other unkind tempers: so that both taken together will introduce into us the whole mind that was in Christ, and cause us to walk as he walked.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v40 On these two, &c. Whereby it is evident that…
On these two, &c. Whereby it is evident that all dependeth not upon faith only, though faith be the first, but much more upon charity, which is the love of God and of our neighbour, and which is the sum of all the law and the prophets; because he that hath this double charity, expressed here by these two principal commandments, fulfilleth all that is commanded in the law and the prophets. (Bristow)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv37, 39, 40 37. Jesus said — Jesus gave him not only…
37. Jesus said — Jesus gave him not only that which is greatest, but that which, if properly kept, will indeed keep the whole. Heart… soul… mind — All the affections and powers of the man.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On v37 37. See Deu_6:5.
37. See Deu_6:5.
heart … soul … mind] St Mark and St Luke add “strength.” In Deut. the words are heart … soul … might. Heart includes the emotions, will, purpose; soul, the spiritual faculties; mind, the intellect, the thinking faculty. This greatest commandment was written on the phylactery which the “lawyer” was probably wearing. See ch. Mat_23:5.
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St Mark (Mar_12:32-34) adds the lawyer’s rejoinder and the commendation of Jesus, “thou art not far from the Kingdom of God.”
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv37, 39, 40 (37) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.—In St.…
(37) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.—In St. Mark’s report (Mar_12:29) our Lord’s answer begins with the Creed of Israel (“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord”), and so the truth is in its right position as the foundation of the duty. It is significant (1) that the answer comes from the same chapter (Deu_6:4-5) which supplied our Lord with two out of His three answers to the Tempter (see Notes on Mat_4:4; Mat_4:7); and (2) that He does but repeat the answer that had been given before by the “certain lawyer” who stood up tempting Him, in Luk_10:25. In their ethical teaching the Pharisees had grasped the truth intellectually, though they did not realise it in their lives, and our Lord did not shrink, therefore, so far, from identifying His teaching with theirs. Truth was truth, even though it was held by the Pharisees and coupled with hypocrisy.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv37–40 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God; Kurion ton…
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God; Kurion ton sou . (Deu_6:5, from the Septuagint, with some slight variation) Christ enunciates the two great moral precepts of God"s Law, not, indeed, stated in these words in the Decalogue, but implied throughout, and forming the basis of true religion. Heart... soul... mind. The Septuagint has "mind, soul, strength." The expressions mean generally that God is to be loved with all our powers and faculties, and that nothing is to be preferred to him. It is difficult to define with any precision the signification of each term used, and much unprofitable labour has been expended in the endeavour to limit their exact sense. "Quum," as Grotius says, "vocum multarum cumulatio nihil quam intensius studium designet." It is usual to explain thus: Heart; which among the Hebrews was considered to be the seat of the understanding, is here considered as the home of the affections and the seat of the will. Soul; the living powers, the animal life. Mind; diamoia , intellectual powers. These are to be the seat and abode of the love enjoined.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv37, 39 37, 38. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,…
37, 38. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, etc. Freely quoted from Deut. 6:5. A demand for supreme love for God.
This is the first and great. Great, because it embraces all others; first, in that it precedes the second that he is about to name. He who loves God supremely cannot live in disobedience to him.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv37, 39 General Information:
General Information:
Jesus quotes a verse from Deuteronomy as the greatest commandment.
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with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind
These three phrases are used together to mean "completely" or "earnestly." Here "heart" and "soul" are metonyms for a person's inner being. (See: Metonymy and Doublet)
the great and first commandment
Here "great" and "first" mean the same thing. They emphasize that this is the most important commandment. (See: Doublet)
translationWords
Jesus
lord
God
heart
soul
mind
command
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv37, 39, 40 22:37 Jesus answers from the Shema (Deut 6:4-9), one…
22:37 Jesus answers from the Shema (Deut 6:4-9), one of the core statements of God’s covenant with Israel (The first Hebrew word of Deut 6:4-9 is shema‘, “hear”).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.