Love Fulfills the Law

⁸ Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.^{(A) 9} The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^[a](B) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up^(C) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^{[b](D) 10} Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.^(E)

³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[a](A) 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”^(B)

³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^(A)

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself,^(A) so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.^{(B) 32} So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan,^(C) as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii^[a] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

² Each of us should please our neighbors for their good,^(A) to build them up.^(B)

¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[a](A)

⁸ If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^[a](A) you are doing right.