Markus 12:28-34

The Greatest Commandment

12:28 Now ¹  one of the experts in the law ²  came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus ³  answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love ⁴  the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ⁵  12:31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁶  There is no other commandment greater than these.” 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. ⁷  12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength ⁸  and to love your neighbor as yourself ⁹  is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

[12:28]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[12:28]  ² tn Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[12:28]  ³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:30]  ⁴ tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).

[12:30]  ⁵ sn A quotation from Deut 6:4-5 and Josh 22:5 (LXX). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.

[12:31]  ⁶ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[12:32]  ⁷ sn A quotation from Deut 4:35.

[12:33]  ⁸ sn A quotation from Deut 6:5.

[12:33]  ⁹ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.