The Holy Bible Verses

50 Bible Verses About the Greatest Commandment

Explore the greatest commandment: love God and others. Discover practical steps to apply Matthew 22:37-39 in your life today.

By The Editorial Team

Verses sourced from the World English Bible (public domain). Selection follows our editorial policy. Last reviewed 2026-04-23. See all sources.

The Greatest Commandment emphasizes loving God with all one's heart, soul, and mind, and loving one's neighbor as oneself. This principle serves as the foundation for Christian ethics and relationships, encouraging believers to prioritize love in their interactions and actions, as illustrated in Matthew 22:37-39. Practical application involves showing kindness and compassion daily.

“Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’Deuteronomy 6:5”
— Matthew 22:37-39 WEB

The words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39 guide us toward the heart of faith. In response to being asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus says, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” These words echo throughout the Bible, calling us to a life centered on love. They remind us that true devotion to God reflects in how we treat those around us.

The call to love appears throughout Scripture, creating a tapestry of guidance. In Deuteronomy 6:5, we hear the command to love God wholeheartedly. Leviticus 19:18 emphasizes loving our neighbors as ourselves. Such love is active and transformative, urging us to move beyond words into deeds. Love becomes the lens through which we view our relationships and actions. This biblical command invites us to live with intentionality and purpose, reflecting God’s love in everything we do.

50 verses

  1. 1

    “Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.””

  2. 2

    ““‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.”

  3. 3

    “so that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.”

  4. 4

    ““Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.”

  5. 5

    “You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”

  6. 7

    “Therefore you shall love Yahweh your God, and keep his instructions, his statutes, his ordinances, and his commandments, always.”

  7. 8

    “Therefore you shall keep all the commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land, where you go over to possess it;”

  8. 9

    “Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right in Yahweh your God’s eyes.”

  9. 10

    “You shall say before Yahweh your God, “I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them.”

  10. 11

    “Today Yahweh your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul.”

  11. 12

    “Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandment which I command you today.”

  12. 13

    “if you will obey Yahweh your God’s voice, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law; if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul.”

  13. 14

    “For I command you today to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it.”

  14. 15

    “He said to them, “Set your heart to all the words which I testify to you today, which you shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.”

  15. 16

    “Only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.”

  16. 17

    “Whoever rebels against your commandment, and doesn’t listen to your words in all that you command him shall himself be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.””

  17. 18

    “Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.””

  18. 19

    “With my whole heart, I have sought you. Don’t let me wander from your commandments.”

  19. 20

    “Therefore I love your commandments more than gold, yes, more than pure gold.”

  20. 22

    “Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.”

  21. 23

    “This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.”

  22. 24

    “Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

  23. 25

    ““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor Leviticus 19:18 and hate your enemy.’not in the Bible, but see Qumran Manual of Discipline Ix, 21-26”

  24. 26

    “For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16 and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9”

  25. 27

    “‘Honor your father and your mother.’Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20 And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”Leviticus 19:18”

  26. 28

    “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’Deuteronomy 6:5”

  27. 30

    “A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’Leviticus 19:18”

  28. 31

    “You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’”Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20”

  29. 32

    “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’Deuteronomy 6:4-5 This is the first commandment.”

  30. 33

    “The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’Leviticus 19:18 There is no other commandment greater than these.””

  31. 34

    “and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.””

  32. 35

    “He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind;Deuteronomy 6:5 and your neighbor as yourself.”Leviticus 19:18”

  33. 36

    “You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20”

  34. 37

    “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”

  35. 39

    “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.”

  36. 40

    ““This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.”

  37. 41

    ““I command these things to you, that you may love one another.”

  38. 42

    “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,”TR adds “You shall not give false testimony,” “You shall not covet,” Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17-19,21 and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”Leviticus 19:18”

  39. 44

    “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”Leviticus 19:18”

  40. 45

    “but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith;”

  41. 46

    “However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”Leviticus 19:18 you do well.”

  42. 47

    “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”

  43. 48

    “This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.”

  44. 49

    “This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.”

  45. 50

    “This is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.”

For your week

Reflect

Consider how the love you show to God and others reflects your faith. Loving God and people is not just a command but a way of life that transforms us.

Pray

Dear God, help me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind. Guide me to love my neighbors as myself, reflecting Your love in my actions each day.

Apply

This week, choose one person to show unexpected kindness or forgiveness. Let this action be a reflection of loving your neighbor as yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the greatest commandment?

The greatest commandment, according to Jesus, is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). This commandment calls for complete devotion and aligns with the Old Testament instruction in Deuteronomy 6:5. Loving God wholly encompasses our thoughts, emotions, and actions, forming the foundation of our relationship with Him.

Why are there two greatest commandments?

Jesus pairs loving God with loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39) to show that love for God is inseparable from love for others. This dual commandment reflects the holistic nature of God’s law, where our relationship with God influences how we interact with others. Leviticus 19:18 supports this by emphasizing love for others as an essential expression of faith.

How do I love God with all my heart?

Loving God with all your heart involves complete devotion and prioritizing Him above all else. Deuteronomy 6:5 calls for love that encompasses your heart, soul, and might. This means making choices that honor God, spending time in prayer and reading Scripture, and seeking His will in every aspect of life, allowing His love to guide your actions.

Newsletter

One verse, every Tuesday.

A short reflection, a single passage, three articles to read. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Share: