Matthew 22:34-40 - The Greatest Commandment

³⁴ And when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, ³⁵ and one of them, an expert in the Law, to test him, asked, ³⁶ "Master, what command is greatest in the Law?"

³⁷ And he said to him, " 'You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, and your whole mind.' ³⁸ That is the great, first command. ³⁹ There is a second like it: 'You must love your neighbor as you do yourself.' ⁴⁰ These two commands sum up the whole of the Law and the Prophets."

²⁸ One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing. He saw that Jesus had answered them well, and he asked him, "Which is the first of all the commands?"

²⁹ Jesus answered, "The first one is, 'Hear, Israel! The Lord our God is one lord, ³⁰ and you must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole mind, and your whole strength.'

³¹ And this is the second: 'You must love your neighbor as you do yourself.' No other command is greater than these."

³² The scribe said to him, "Really, Master, you have finely said that he stands alone, and there is none but he, ³³ and to love him with one's whole heart, one's whole understanding, and one's whole strength, and to love one's neighbor as one's self is far more than all these burnt-offerings and sacrifices."

³⁴ And Jesus saw that he answered thoughtfully, and he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God!" And no one ventured to ask him any more questions.