Add parallel Print Page Options

The Foremost Commandment

28 (A)And when one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, he (B)recognized that He had answered them well and asked Him, “What commandment is the [a]foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘(C)Hear, O Israel! The [b]Lord our God is one [c]Lord; 30 (D)and you shall love the [d]Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘(E)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that (F)He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; 33 (G)and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love ones neighbor as himself, (H)is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (I)After that, no one would dare to ask Him any more questions.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:28 Or first
  2. Mark 12:29 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Deut 6:4
  3. Mark 12:29 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Deut 6:4
  4. Mark 12:30 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Deut 6:5

The Greatest Commandment(A)

28 Then one of the scribes came near and heard the Sadducees[a] arguing with one another. He saw how well Jesus[b] answered them, so he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of them all?”

29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord[c] our God is one Lord,[d] 30 and you must love the Lord[e] your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’[f] 31 The second is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’[g] No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 Then the scribe told him, “Well said,[h] Teacher! You have told the truth that ‘God[i] is one, and there is no other besides him.’[j] 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 the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw how wisely the man[k] answered, he told him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one dared to ask him another question.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:28 Lit. heard them
  2. Mark 12:28 Lit. he
  3. Mark 12:29 MT source citation reads Lord
  4. Mark 12:29 MT source citation reads Lord
  5. Mark 12:30 MT source citation reads Lord
  6. Mark 12:30 Cf. Deut 6:4-5
  7. Mark 12:31 Cf. Lev 19:18
  8. Mark 12:32 The Gk. lacks said
  9. Mark 12:32 Lit. he
  10. Mark 12:32 Cf. Deut 6:4
  11. Mark 12:34 Lit. he