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Living and character

What does the Bible say about loving your neighbour?

Jesus said loving your neighbour as yourself is second only to loving God, and He defined neighbour as widely as possible.

What Scripture says

Mark 12:31

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

Luke 10:33-37

But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Romans 13:9-10

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

James 2:8

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

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. See all Bible questions or verses by topic.

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