The Primary Commands

³⁴ When^(A) the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. ³⁵ And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him:^{(B) 36} “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”

³⁷ He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.^{[a](C) 38} This is the greatest and most important^[b] command. ³⁹ The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{[c](D) 40} All the Law and the Prophets depend^[d] on these two commands.”^(E)

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.