Matthew 22 · Verse 39

Matthew 22:39

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 22:39, King James Version

Matthew 22:39 in other translations

BSBAnd the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
WEBA second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
ASVAnd a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
YLTand the second is like to it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;
DARBYAnd the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
BBEAnd a second like it is this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself.
WebsterAnd the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

What does Matthew 22:39 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 39. The second is like unto it. Lev 19:18. Resembles it in importance, dignity, purity, and usefulness. This had not been asked by the lawyer, but Jesus took occasion to acquaint him with the substance of the whole law. For its meaning, Mt 19:19. Comp. Rom 13:9. Mark adds, There is no greater commandment than these. None respecting circumcision or sacrifice is greater. They are the fountain of all.

(l) "like unto it" Lev 19:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 39 Thou shalt love thy neighbor - The love of our neighbor springs from the love of God as its source; is found in the love of God as its principle, pattern, and end; and the love of God is found in the love of our neighbor, as its effect, representation, and infallible mark. This love of our neighbor is a love of equity, charity, succor, and benevolence. We owe to our neighbor what we have a right to expect from him - "Do unto all men as ye would they should do unto you," is a positive command of our blessed Savior. By this rule, therefore, we should speak, think, and write, concerning every soul of man: - put the best construction upon all the words and actions of our neighbor that they can possibly bear. By this rule we are taught to bear with, love, and forgive him; to rejoice in his felicity, mourn in his adversity, desire and delight in his prosperity, and promote it to the utmost of our power: instruct his ignorance, help him in his weakness, and risk even our life for his sake, and for the public good. In a word, we must do every thing in our power, through all the possible varieties of circumstances, for our neighbors, which we would wish them to do for us, were our situations reversed. This is the religion of Jesus! How happy would Society be, were these two plain, rational precepts properly observed! Love Me, and love thy Fellows! Be unutterably happy in me, and be in perfect peace, unanimity, and love, among yourselves. Great fountain and dispenser of love! fill thy creation with this sacred principle, for his sake who died for the salvation of mankind! On the nature of self-love, see Mat 19:19.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 22:34-40

An interpreter of the law asked our Lord a question, to try, not so much his knowledge, as his judgment. The love of God is the first and great commandment, and the sum of all the commands of the first table. Our love of God must be sincere, not in word and tongue only. All our love is too little to bestow upon him, therefore all the powers of the soul must be engaged for him, and carried out toward him. To love our…

Read the full comment on Matthew 22:34-40 →

Matthew 22:39 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

δευτέραdeutera[The] secondG1208
δὲdealsoG1161
ὁμοίαhomoia[is] likeG3664
αὐτῇ·autēato it:G846
ἀγαπήσειςagapēseisYou will loveG25
τὸνtontheG3588
πλησίονplēsionneighbourG4139
σουsouof youG4771
ὡςhōsasG5613
σεαυτόν.seautonyourself.’G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 22:39

  • Mark 12:31

    And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

  • Luke 10:27-37

    And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. …

  • Leviticus 19:18

    Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

  • Romans 13:9-10

    For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

  • Galatians 5:14

    For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

  • Matthew 19:19

    Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

  • Romans 15:2

    Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

  • James 2:8

    If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

  • Galatians 6:10

    As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Thou.
19:19; Le 19:18; Mr 12:31; Lu 10:27,28; Ro 13:9,10; Ga 5:14; Jas 2:8
neighbour.
Lu 10:29-37; Ro 15:2; Ga 6:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 22:38

    This is the first and great commandment.

  • Matthew 22:39

    And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

  • Matthew 22:40

    On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Read all of Matthew 22

Matthew 22:39 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el segundo es semejante á éste: Amarás á tu prójimo como á ti mismo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le second lui est semblable: « Tu aimeras ton prochain comme toi-même ».
German
Elberfelder 1871		Das zweite aber, ihm gleiche, ist: "Du sollst deinen Nächsten lieben wie dich selbst".
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Secundum autem simile est huic: Diliges proximum tuum, sicut teipsum.