What is the greatest commandment?
Quick answer
Jesus named it: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. On these two, all the law and the prophets hang.
When asked which commandment was greatest, Jesus quoted the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:5) and joined it to Leviticus 19:18.
Love for God and love for neighbor are not two separate duties but one fabric. You cannot have one without the other.
This is the heart of Christian ethics: not first what to avoid, but who and how to love.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06-07. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.