Matthew 22:38

Matthew 22:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This is the first and great commandment.
• New International Version (NIV)This is the first and greatest commandment.
• English Standard Version (ESV)This is the great and first commandment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This is the first and great commandment.

Context of Matthew 22:38

36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37And Jesus replied to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. 39The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ 40The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:38 word by word

αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μεγάλη καὶ πρώτη ἐντολή.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785

Commentaries on Matthew 22:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38This is the first and great commandment - It is so, In its antiquity, being as old as the world, and engraven originally on our very nature. In dignity; as directly and immediately proceeding front and referring to God. In excellence; being the commandment of the new covenant, and the very spirit of the Divine adoption. In justice; because it alone renders to God his due, prefers him before all things, and secures to him his proper rank in relation to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34-40Verses 34-40 Jesus converses with a Pharisee respecting the law - See also Mark 12:28-34. Matthew 22:34 The Pharisees … were gathered together - That is, either to rejoice that their great rivals, the Sadducees, had been so completely silenced, or to lay a new plan for ensnaring him, or perhaps both. They would rejoice that the Sadducees had been confounded, but they would not be the less desirous to involve Jesus in difficulty. They therefore endeavored…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 34-40Verses 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 neighbour as ourselves, is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-46This section focuses on how Jewish leaders challenged the authority of Jesus. Each time, the wisdom of Jesus revealed their lack of spiritual understanding. These debates also revealed the status of Jesus as the Messiah and the consequences of rejecting him. Sadly, the leaders became more resistant with each encounter and plotted to kill Jesus (Matthew 21:23, 46; 22:15–17, 23, 34, 41).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 22:38

• Commandments
• Decalogue
• Duty
• Jesus, the Christ
• Love
• Quotations and Allusions
• Religion

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Commandment
• Darkness
• Dinner
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Commentaries on Matthew 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings