Thou Shalt Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself
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.
Leviticus 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?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.38 This is the first and great commandment.39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Loving Your Neighbor Means Looking Out For Their Wellbeing
The NIV translation of 1 Corinthians 13 says, love protects. In Philippians 2:4 it says, Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Loving your neighbor as yourself is to look out for other peoples wellbeing.
To look out for them is to pay attention. You notice if they need something and then you help. For example, their clothing tag is sticking out or they have food on their face so you let them know. Or something more serious like when my neighbors toddler got out and crossed the street. Concerned for his safety, I headed over there. I was almost there when the grandma came out to intercept him and thanked me.
Gods Love Compels Us To Love Our Neighbors
We are commanded to love others. This is not a call to allow other people to walk all over us. Nor is this a call to ignore the other Biblical commands such as speaking the truth in love. Even if it is a truth that they would rather not hear, we are to speak it gently and out of love.
Loving others due to Gods love is a realization that God loves us so completely and fiercely that we are to show others that same love. God loves us with a jealous love He will not allow anything in our life that will hinder our relationship with Him. So should our love drive others to Christ.
12) Ephesians 2:10 For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
13) Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.
14) 1 Corinthians 15:58 My dear brothers and sisters, stay firmly plantedbe unshakabledo many good works in the name of God, and know that all your labor is not for nothing when it is for God.
15) 1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
16) John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Also Check: How To Get Alexa To Read The Bible
Loving Your Neighbor Means Speaking Kindly
The childhood rhyme about stick and stones versus words is not true. Words build up or tear down. God created the world using words. The Bible says Jesus IS the Word .
To love your neighbor as yourself is to use words to build them up. Speaking words of encouragement to someone whos down is the most obvious example but there are others. We can be more intentional with our words by looking for and magnifying the good. We can always find something good if well take the time to look for it. Examples of this are giving someone a compliment and telling someone you appreciate them.
How To Love Your Neighbor
Love is compassionate and kind
Serving is a way of showing compassion. Love is compassion. Love is Kindness. You cannot love someone if you refuse to bestow compassion. You cannot love someone if you refuse to be kind. A lack of compassion and being unkind are both at their core self-centered, which is unloving.
26) Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works an glorify your Father in heaven.
27) 2 Corinthians 1:4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
You May Like: What Does The Bible Say About Mary Magdalene
Matthew 2: 39 Translation & Meaning
What does this verse really mean? Use this table to get a word-for-word translation of the original Greek Scripture. This shows the English words related to the source biblical texts along with brief definitions. Follow the buttons in the right-hand column for detailed definitions and verses that use the same root words. Use this reference information to gain deeper insight into the Bible and enrich your understanding. Information based on Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
| KJV Verse |
|---|
Working For Others As Much As For Ourselves
The crux of the command lies in the words as yourself. At least to some degree, most of us work to provide for ourselves. There is a strong element of self-interest in working. We know that if we dont work, we wont eat. Scripture commends this motivation , yet the as yourself aspect of Leviticus 19:18 suggests that we should be equally motivated to serve others through our work. This is a very high callto work as much to serve others as to meet our own needs. If we had to work twice as long to accomplish itsay one shift a day for ourselves and another shift for our neighborit would be nearly impossible.
CEO Ron Johnson Founds Company on the Reciprocal Strategy of Love Your Neighbor as Yourself |
Thinking more broadly, if we have a wide range of choices in our work, how much of a role does serving others make in our job decisions, compared to making the most for ourselves? Almost every kind of work can serve others and please God. But that does not mean that every job or work opportunity is of equal service to others. We love ourselves when we make work choices that bring us high pay, prestige, security, comfort, and easy work. We love others when we choose work that provides needed goods and services, opportunities for marginalized people, protection for Gods creation, justice and democracy, truth, peace, and beauty. Leviticus 19:18 suggests that the latter should be as important to us as the former.
Also Check: What Does The Bible Say About Discipleship
Loving Your Neighbor Means Forgiving
Forgiveness is a big deal to God. The Bible says He planned it for us from the foundation of the world . Jesus frequently spoke forgiveness over others that resulted in the healing of their bodies.
Forgiveness is freely given to us and to love your neighbor as yourself youll pass the forgiveness on. Jesus highlighted this in His story in Matthew 18 when Peter asks how many times is he to forgive. He tells the story of a king who forgave an enormous debt to one of his servants. This servant failed to pass the forgiveness on. He demanded payment of a small debt from his neighbor. When the king heard of it, he had his servant remanded for his debt, revoking the debt cancellation. Jesus story tells us that love always forgives.
We all need forgiveness, so loving your neighbor is to forgive them as you have been.
Danielle Bernock writes about overcoming the effects of childhood and emotional trauma through the power of the love of God. Her first book Emerging With Wings: A True Story of Lies, Pain, And The LOVE that Heals has ushered many to emotional and spiritual freedom. Other books include A Bird Named Payn, and Loves Manifesto. For more information or to connect with Danielle go here: https://www.daniellebernock.com/
Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself
When asked which is the greatest commandment, the Christian New Testament depicts Jesus paraphrasing the Torah: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” before also paraphrasing a second passage “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Most Christian denominations view these two commandments as, together, forming the core of the Christian religion. The second passage is considered to be a form of the Golden Rule .
Recommended Reading: Why Does The Catholic Bible Have More Books
Live Generously Towards Others
Another way of loving others is to live generously. This is another way of being kind and compassionate. It is also another way of putting others before ourselves. We need to care generously, give generously, and love generously. For God is abundantly generous to us.
28) Matthew 6:2 When you give to the poor, do not boast about it, announcing your donations with blaring trumpets as the play actors do. DO not brazenly give your charity in the synagogues and on the streets indeed, do not give at all if you are giving because you want to be praised by your neighbors. Those people who give in order to reap praise have already received their reward.
29) Galatians 6:2 Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
30) James 2:14-17 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but dont show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, Good-bye and have a good day stay warm and eat wellbut then you dont give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isnt enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
31) Ephesians 4:28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.
Loving Your Neighbor Means Sharing In Their Joys And Sorrows
The Bible says we are to rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn .
Celebrating can be difficult for us at times, especially if our neighbor is getting something we have longed for. For example, a new job, a raise, or a pregnancy. Celebrating with them in spite of our own pain is a strong show of love.
Likewise. mourning with our neighbor can be hard if we dont know what to say, or have recently lost something or someone ourselves. Loving your neighbor as yourself is showing up and being there with your heart open, allowing them to be what they are and support them.
Recommended Reading: What Does The Bible Say About Mixing Races In Marriage
Loving Your Neighbor Means Making Allowances For Other People’s Humanity
We live in a day and age when offense is as common as breathing. Criticism is running rampant. Love is not easily offended or critical. Everyone does dumb things no one is always right or knows everything. Were all a work in progress.
I remember sitting through a green light. I wasnt trying to inconvenience anyone. I got stuck in grieving daze because a family member died. I remember that when I encounter people driving too slow, sitting at lights, or even cutting me off. Maybe they have a reason. Maybe theyre just being human. Were imperfect beings that do dumb things often.
Giving people the benefit of the doubt is loving your neighbor. For example, I had a lady flailing her arms and cursing because I didnt go through an almost red light. She was behind me so got stuck at the red light with me. I dont know why she was so angry but she may have had other circumstances surrounding her that day. I prayed for her.
How Do You Show Your Love To Your Neighbor
Let’s take a look.
Read Also: What Is Love Bible Definition
How To Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
- Pearl Dy
- 202016 Mar
For all of us who lived the Christian faith, we have definitely heard the phrase Love Your Neighbor As Yourself. But what does it really mean to love your neighbor as yourself? Do we truly understand the way Jesus Christ intended?
Learn more about this famous Bible phrase and the greatest commandments of Jesus.
The Bible Has A Lot Of Tough Commandments That Force Us To Push Ourselves
However, none is tasking as the command to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
In fact, Mark 12:29 -31 tells us that this is the second greatest commandment, after the order to love God.
The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these”, He says.
ALSO READ: Love Your Neighbour
Here are five Bible verses that prove how important this commandment is.
1. 1 John 4:21 “And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
2. Leviticus 19:18 “Forget about the wrong things people do to you. Don’t try to get even. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”
3. Matthew 25:40 “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.'”
4. Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Also Check: How Many Times Bible Says Fear Not
Loving Your Neighbor Means Serving Them
Serving from the heart is kindness in action. Kindness is one of the attributes of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13. The funny thing about kindness, though, is you can do acts of kindness without kindness residing in your heart. If the kind thing is done out of duty then it isnt love.
Jesus said he came to serve . God, who is love, came to serve. Love serves. For you to love your neighbor as yourself, youll have a heart to serve them. Let them know youre there for them. If they need a ride somewhere, you drive them. If they need their dog or cat checked on while theyre out of town, you do that for them. Other examples are getting their mail for them or taking them a meal if theyre not well. Examples in a public setting are to let people in front of you in line at the store or in traffic.
Is It Psychologically Healthy To Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
And one of them, a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him: Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets. .
If we examine this precept of love we shall find that the obligation, while extensive, is by no means insupportable. For though we are to love the members of Christ as He did, we must note that we ourselves are also members of Christ, and therefore we are bound to love ourselves in a truly supernatural fashion.
This is not to say that there is any kind of moral culpability in the negative and self-critical thoughts that often occur in the context of depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges . Rather, Christs summary of the whole law and the prophets stands as a reminder that we are called to radical charity not only towards God and our neighbor, but towards ourselves as well.
Also Check: What Does The Bible Say About Mixing Races In Marriage
Old Testament Verses About Neighbors & Community
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
~ Exodus 20:16
If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.
~ Exodus 22:14
You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.
~ Leviticus 19:17
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
~ Leviticus 19:18
How good and pleasant it is when Gods people live together in unity!
~ Psalm 133:1
Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.
~ Proverbs 3:29
It is a sin to despise ones neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
~ Proverbs 14:21
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
~ Proverbs 17:17
Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relatives house when disaster strikes you better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
~ Proverbs 27:10
Learn to do right seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless plead the case of the widow.
~ Isaiah 1:17