Matthew 22:37-39 Text
King James Version (KJV)
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. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
World English Bible (WEB)
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.’
What Matthew 22:37-39 Means
A religious expert asks Jesus which commandment is the greatest, and Jesus answers by joining two Old Testament commands: love God with everything you are, and love your neighbor as yourself. The first comes from Deuteronomy 6:5 and the second from Leviticus 19:18. Jesus calls the first the great commandment and says the second is like it, meaning that they belong together and cannot be separated. Loving God is not detached from how people are treated. The phrase as yourself assumes that people already care for themselves, and it asks that the same practical concern extend to others. It does not command self-love as a separate task. Jesus adds a mind to the heart and soul of the original, showing that thinking is part of devotion. The WEB renders the second as a second likewise, with the same sense.
Context of Matthew 22:37-39
This takes place in Jerusalem in the last week before Jesus' crucifixion, as various religious groups test him with questions. A Pharisee, who is described as an expert in the law, asks this one. Just before, Jesus has answered a trick question from the Sadducees about the resurrection. After his answer, Jesus asks them a question of his own about the identity of the Messiah. To read the whole book, see random verse from Matthew.
How to Apply Matthew 22:37-39
Pick one person near you whose needs are easy to overlook, and do something small and practical for them this week, and then notice how that connects to your sense of God. Loving a neighbor as yourself is concrete: time, attention, a meal, a ride, an apology.
Related Verses
- Deuteronomy 6:5 – And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
- Leviticus 19:18 – Thou 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 .
- Mark 12:29-31 – And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is , Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
- Luke 10:27 – And 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.
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Love, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the greatest commandment according to Jesus?
In Matthew 22, Jesus says it is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. He then adds a second that is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself, and says the whole Law and Prophets depend on both.
Who is my neighbor in Matthew 22:39?
In this passage the term is not defined, but in Luke 10 Jesus answers a similar question with the parable of the Good Samaritan, showing that a neighbor includes anyone in need, even someone from a group you might avoid.
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