³⁴ The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.^(A) Love them as yourself,^(B) for you were foreigners^(C) in Egypt.^(D) I am the Lord your God.

⁷ gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other),

¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’^[a](A) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”^(B)

³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[a](A)

³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[a](A) There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.^{(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.”^(C)

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.”

⁹ “As the Father has loved me,^(A) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands,^(B) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.^{(C) 12} My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.^{(D) 13} Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.^{(E) 14} You are my friends^(F) if you do what I command.^{(G) 15} I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.^{(H) 16} You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you^(I) so that you might go and bear fruit^(J)—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.^{(K) 17} This is my command: Love each other.^(L)

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere.^(A) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.^{(B) 10} Be devoted to one another in love.^(C) Honor one another above yourselves.^{(D) 11} Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,^(E) serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope,^(F) patient in affliction,^(G) faithful in prayer.^{(H) 13} Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.^(I) Practice hospitality.^(J)

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you;^(K) bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.^{(L) 16} Live in harmony with one another.^(M) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[a] Do not be conceited.^(N)

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(O) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.^{(P) 18} If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.^{(Q) 19} Do not take revenge,^(R) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[b](S) says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

⁹ The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^[a](A) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up^(B) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[b](C)