¹⁵ “‘Do not pervert justice;^(A) do not show partiality^(B) to the poor or favoritism to the great,^(C) but judge your neighbor fairly.^(D)

¹⁶ “‘Do not go about spreading slander^(E) among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.^(F) I am the Lord.

¹⁷ “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.^(G) Rebuke your neighbor frankly^(H) so you will not share in their guilt.

¹⁸ “‘Do not seek revenge^(I) or bear a grudge^(J) against anyone among your people,^(K) but love your neighbor^(L) as yourself.^(M) I am the Lord.

The Greatest Commandment^(A)

³⁴ Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,^(B) the Pharisees got together. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law,^(C) tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[a](D) 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[b](E) 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”^(F)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan^(A)

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(B)

²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ 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’^[a];^(C) and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”^(D)

²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”^(E)

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself,^(F) 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.^{(G) 32} So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan,^(H) 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^[c] 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.”

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)

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.^(A) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a];^(B) rather, serve one another^(C) humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^{[b](D) 15} If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit,^(E) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.^{(F) 17} For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.^(G) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^[c] you want.^{(H) 18} But if you are led by the Spirit,^(I) you are not under the law.^(J)

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,^(K) impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.^(L) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.^(M)

²² But the fruit^(N) of the Spirit is love,^(O) joy, peace,^(P) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.^(Q) Against such things there is no law.^{(R) 24} Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh^(S) with its passions and desires.^{(T) 25} Since we live by the Spirit,^(U) let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited,^(V) provoking and envying each other.

Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers

³ As I urged you when I went into Macedonia,^(A) stay there in Ephesus^(B) so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines^(C) any longer ⁴ or to devote themselves to myths^(D) and endless genealogies.^(E) Such things promote controversial speculations^(F) rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. ⁵ The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart^(G) and a good conscience^(H) and a sincere faith.^{(I) 6} Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. ⁷ They want to be teachers^(J) of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.^(K)

⁸ We know that the law is good^(L) if one uses it properly. ⁹ We also know that the law is made not for the righteous^(M) but for lawbreakers and rebels,^(N) the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine^{(O) 11} that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.^(P)

The Lord’s Grace to Paul

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength,^(Q) that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.^{(R) 13} Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor^(S) and a violent man, I was shown mercy^(T) because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.^{(U) 14} The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,^(V) along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.^(W)

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying^(X) that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners^(Y)—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy^(Z) so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience^(AA) as an example for those who would believe^(AB) in him and receive eternal life.^{(AC) 17} Now to the King^(AD) eternal, immortal,^(AE) invisible,^(AF) the only God,^(AG) be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(AH)

The Charge to Timothy Renewed

¹⁸ Timothy, my son,^(AI) I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you,^(AJ) so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well,^{(AK) 19} holding on to faith and a good conscience,^(AL) which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.^{(AM) 20} Among them are Hymenaeus^(AN) and Alexander,^(AO) whom I have handed over to Satan^(AP) to be taught not to blaspheme.