³⁴ Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced (muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together.^{(A) 35} One of them, a lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law], asked Jesus a question, to test Him: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”^{(B) 37} And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’^{(C) 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’^{(D) 40} The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

²⁵ And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^{(A) 26} Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” ²⁷ And he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”^{(B) 28} Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this habitually and you will live.”^(C)