Matthew 22:37
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
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A lawyer tests Jesus by asking which commandment is greatest. Jesus answers with whole-hearted love for God, then love of neighbor.
What Does Matthew 22:37 Mean?
In one sentence: the greatest commandment is to love God with the whole of who you are -- heart, soul, and mind together. Asked to name the greatest command, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:5: love God totally.
Heart, soul, and mind are not separate compartments but ways of saying "all of you" -- affections, will, and thought. This love is the first commandment, and love of neighbor (the second) flows from it.
In the Original Language
The Greek "agapao" (love) is wholehearted, committed love. "Kardia" (heart) is the inner self. "Psyche" (soul) is the whole life; "dianoia" (mind) is the understanding.
Cross References
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
- Deuteronomy 6:5
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
- Matthew 22:39
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul...”
- Mark 12:30
Application
Let love for God lay claim to every part of you -- emotions, decisions, and thinking -- not just a religious corner of life.