Mark 12:31

31 The second [is] this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Mark 12:31 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:31

And the second is like
"Unto it", as in ( Matthew 22:39 ) and so it is read here in two ancient copies of Beza's, and in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions;

[namely] this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
This commandment stands in ( Leviticus 19:18 ) and respects not an Israelite only, or one of the same religion with a man's self, or his intimate friend and acquaintance, or one that lives in the same neighbourhood; but any man whatever, to whom affection should be shown, and good should be done to him, and for him, as a man would have done to and for himself; as much as lies in his power, both in things temporal and spiritual; see the note on ( Matthew 22:39 ) .

There is none other commandment greater than these;
in the whole law, moral or ceremonial; not the sabbath, nor circumcision, nor the phylacteries, nor the fringes on the borders of the garments, nor any other.

Mark 12:31 In-Context

29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.'
31 The second [is] this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
32 And the scribe said to him, "That is true, Teacher. You have said {correctly} that he is one and there is no other except him.
33 And to love him from your whole heart and from your whole understanding and from your whole strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

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Footnotes 1

  • [a]. A quotation from Lev 19:18
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.