Old/New Testament

²⁸ One of the scribes heard them talking. He saw that Jesus gave them a good answer. Then he came and asked, `Which law is the greatest law of all?'

²⁹ Jesus answered, `The greatest one is, "Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God is one Lord.

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Love him with all your soul. Love him with all your mind. And love him with all your strength."

³¹ The second law is this: "Love your neighbour as you love yourself." No law is greater than these laws.'

³² Then the scribe answered Jesus, `Teacher, what you say is right. There is one God. There are no other gods.

³³ Love God with all your heart. Love him with all your understanding. Love him with all your strength. That is much better than to burn offerings and make sacrifices. Love your neighbour as you love yourself. That is better than any of these offerings and sacrifices.'

³⁴ Jesus saw that the scribe was wise. So he said to him, `You are not far from the kingdom of God.' After that everyone feared to ask him any more questions.

³⁵ Jesus was teaching people in the temple. He said, `How can the scribes say that Christ is David's son?

³⁶ The Holy Spirit spoke through David and he himself said: "The Lord said to my Lord, `Sit beside me until I make you master over your enemies.' "

³⁷ `So David calls Christ his Lord. How can Christ be David's son?' Most of the people were glad to hear Jesus' teaching.

³⁸ Jesus went on to teach them. He said, `Take care. Do not let the scribes fool you by the way they do things. They like to walk about with long gowns. They want people to greet them in the market.

³⁹ They want to sit in the front seats in the meeting houses. They want to sit in the best places at feasts.

⁴⁰ They take away the homes of women whose husbands are dead. They cover up the wrong things they do by talking to God a long time. They will be punished more!'

⁴¹ Jesus sat down in the temple near the place where people put in their money. He saw how the people put in money. Many rich people put in much money.

⁴² A poor woman, whose husband was dead, came. She put in two small pieces of money.

⁴³ Jesus called his disciples. He said, `I tell you the truth. This poor woman has given more money than all the other people.

⁴⁴ All these people had plenty of money and they gave only a part of it. She was poor and she gave everything she had. She has nothing left to live on.'