The command to love one's neighbor is a central teaching of Scripture, rooted in the Old Testament law as expressed in Leviticus 19:18. Jesus reaffirms this principle in the New Testament, notably in Mark 12:31 and Matthew 22:39, where He identifies it as the second greatest commandment after loving God. In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus emphasizes the importance of loving one's neighbor in relation to loving God, and 1 John 4:20-21 underscores the impossibility of truly loving God without also loving those around us. This call to love and care for others reflects the very character of God and is fundamental to living out one's faith.
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The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side. But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’ Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” “The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.