The Primary Commands

28 One(A) of the scribes(B) approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”

29 Jesus answered, “The most important[a] is Listen, Israel! The Lord(C) our God, the Lord(D) is one.[b] 30 Love(E) the Lord your God(F) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,(G) and with all your strength.[c][d](H) 31 The second is, Love your neighbor(I) as yourself.[e](J) There is no other command(K) greater than these.”

32 Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, teacher. You have correctly said that he is one, and there is no one(L) else except him.(M) 33 And to love(N) him with all your heart, with all your understanding,[f] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(O)

34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”(P) And no one dared(Q) to question him any longer.

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Footnotes

  1. 12:29 Other mss add of all the commands
  2. 12:29 Or the Lord our God is Lord alone.
  3. 12:30 Other mss add This is the first commandment.
  4. 12:30 Dt 6:4–5; Jos 22:5
  5. 12:31 Lv 19:18
  6. 12:33 Other mss add with all your soul

28 And kai one heis of the ho scribes grammateus came proserchomai up and heard akouō them autos disputing syzēteō. Seeing how hoti well kalōs Jesus had answered apokrinomai them autos, he put this question eperōtaō to him autos: “ Which poios commandment entolē is eimi the most important prōtos of all pas?” 29 Jesus Iēsous answered apokrinomai, · ho “The most important prōtos is eimi, ‘ Hear akouō, Israel Israēl, the Lord kyrios · ho our hēmeis God theos, the Lord kyrios is eimi one heis; 30 and kai you shall love agapaō the Lord kyrios · ho your sy God theos with ek your sy whole holos · ho heart kardia, and kai with ek your sy whole holos · ho life psychē, and kai with ek your sy whole holos · ho mind dianoia, and kai with ek your sy whole holos · ho strength ischus.’ 31 The second deuteros is this houtos: ‘ You shall love agapaō · ho your sy neighbor plēsion as hōs yourself seautou.’ There is eimi no ou other allos commandment entolē greater megas than these houtos.” 32 And kai the ho scribe grammateus said legō to him autos, “ Well kalōs said, teacher didaskalos. You have spoken legō truthfully epi alētheia; ‘ he is eimi one heis, and kai there is eimi no ou other allos besides plēn him autos.’ 33 And kai · ho to love agapaō him autos with ek the ho whole holos heart kardia, and kai with ek the ho whole holos understanding synesis, and kai with ek the ho whole holos strength ischus,’ and kai · ho to love agapaō one’ s ho neighbor plēsion as hōs oneself heautou,’ is eimi much perissoteros more than all pas · ho whole burnt offerings holokautōma and kai sacrifices thusia.” 34 And kai · ho Jesus Iēsous, seeing that hoti the scribe had answered apokrinomai wisely nounechōs, said legō to him autos, “ You are eimi not ou far makran from apo the ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos.” And kai no one oudeis dared tolmaō to question eperōtaō him autos any more ouketi.

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