The Most Important Command^(A)

²⁸ One of the ·teachers of the law [scribes] came and heard Jesus arguing with the Sadducees. Seeing that Jesus gave good answers to their questions, he asked Jesus, “Which of the commands is most important?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The most important command is this: ‘·Listen, people of Israel [^THear, O Israel]! The Lord our God is ·the only Lord [one Lord]. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength’ [Deut. 6:4–5; ^Cthese are the opening words of the Shema, the prayer said by pious Jews twice a day]. ³¹ The second command is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself’ [Lev. 19:18]. There are no commands ·more important [greater] than these.”

³² The man answered, “·That was a good answer [Well said!], Teacher. You were right when you said God is ·the only Lord [one] and there is no other God besides him. ³³ One must love God with all his heart, all his mind, and all his strength. And one must love his neighbor as he loves himself. These commands are more important than all the ·animals [burnt offerings] and sacrifices we offer to God [1 Sam. 15:22; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6–8].”

³⁴ When Jesus saw that the man answered him ·wisely [thoughtfully; with insight], Jesus said to him, “You are close to the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one ·was brave enough [dared] to ask Jesus any more questions.

The Most Important Command^(A)

³⁴ When the Pharisees learned that ·the Sadducees could not argue with Jesus’ answers to them [^LJesus had silenced the Sadducees], the Pharisees met together. ³⁵ One Pharisee, who was an expert on the law of Moses, asked Jesus this question to ·test [trap] him: ³⁶ “Teacher, which command in the law is the ·most important [greatest]?”

³⁷ Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind [Deut. 6:5].’ ³⁸ This is the first and ·most important [greatest] command. ³⁹ And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself [Lev. 19:18].’ ⁴⁰ All the law and the ·writings of the prophets [^Lprophets] ·depend [are based; ^Lhang] on these two commands.”

The Good Samaritan^(A)

²⁵ Then an expert on the law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to ·get life forever [^Linherit eternal life]?”

²⁶ Jesus said, “What is written in the law? ·What do you read there [or How do you interpret it]?”

²⁷ The man answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind [Deut. 6:5].” Also, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself [Lev. 19:18].”

²⁸ Jesus said to him, “Your answer is right. Do this and you will live.”