Matthew 22:34-40 - The Greatest Commandment

³⁴ When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they collected together. ³⁵ Then one of them, a Student of the Law, to test him, asked this question-- ³⁶ "Teacher, what is the great commandment in the Law?"

³⁷ His answer was: "'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.' ³⁸ This is the great first commandment. ³⁹ The second, which is like it, is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.' ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

²⁸ Then came up one of the Teachers of the Law who had heard their discussions. Knowing that Jesus had answered them wisely, he asked him this question: "What is the first of all the commandments?"

²⁹ "The first," answered Jesus, "is--'Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is the one Lord; ³⁰ 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.'

³¹ The second is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost love thyself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

³² "Wisely answered, Teacher!" exclaimed the Teacher of the Law. "It is true, as you say, that 'there is one God,' and that 'there is no other besides him'; ³³ And to 'love him with all one's heart, and with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength,' and to 'love one's neighbor as one loves oneself' is far beyond all 'burnt-offerings and sacrifices.'"

³⁴ Seeing that he had answered with discernment, Jesus said to him: "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." After that no one ventured to question him further.