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‘Love Your Neighbor as Yourself’ Bible Verse

Examples in Several Different Passages of Scripture

Group of neighbors enjoy one another's company
asiseeit / Getty Images

By 

Mary Fairchild

Updated on March 08, 2019

“Love your neighbor as yourself” is a favorite Bible verse about love. These exact words are found several places in Scripture. Examine the many different instances of this key Bible passage.

Second only to loving God, loving your neighbor as yourself is the central point of all biblical laws and personal holiness. It is the anecdote to correcting all negative behaviors toward others:

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Leviticus 19:18

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 the LORD. (NKJV)

When the rich young man asked Jesus Christ what good deed he must do to have eternal life, Jesus ended his summary of the all commandments with “love your neighbor as yourself:”

Matthew 19:19

“‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” (NKJV)

In the next two verses, Jesus named “love your neighbor as yourself” as the second greatest commandment after loving God:

Matthew 22:37–39

Jesus said to him, ‘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 the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (NKJV)

Mark 12:30–31

“‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (NKJV)

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In the following passage in the Gospel of Luke, a lawyer asked Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded with a question of his own: “What is written in the law?” The lawyer answered correctly:

Luke 10:27

So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.'” (NKJV)

Here the Apostle Paul explained that a Christian’s obligation to love is without limits. Believers are to love not only other members of the family of God, but their fellow men as well:

Romans 13:9

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (NKJV)

Paul summarized the law, reminding the Galatians that Christians are commissioned by God to love one another deeply and wholly:

Galatians 5:14

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (NKJV)

Here James is addressing the problem of showing favoritism. According to God’s law, there should be no acts of favoritism. All people, non-believers included, deserve to be loved equally, without distinction. James explained the way to avoid favoritism: 

James 2:8

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well … (NKJV)

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