“Love your neighbor as yourself” is one of the well-known quotes of the bible.
It encourages us to love one another as true worshipers of Christ.
But who is your neighbor?
Are they your friends, parents, siblings, or those staying near you?
The truth is, your neighbors are people you meet daily.
They include your friends, colleagues at work, church members, schoolmates, and even strangers.
Anyone that needs your help is your neighbor.
As Christians, we must render help and assistance to those in need.
And thankfully, there are many bible verses about loving your neighbor as yourself to inspire us.
These scriptures teach us to be kind-hearted to those around us.
To put it differently, we must help those in need and support them (whether they are related to us or not).
Just a few months ago, I was opportune to help one of my patients.
Immediately after surgery, she started bleeding profusely.
She bled so much that it was apparent she was never going to make it.
Her husband was utterly devastated and has lost control of himself.
And shockingly, there was no functional blood bank in the rural hospital
And then I thought to myself, “I must make a blood donation to save her life.”
Having recently just got married, I couldn’t bear the thoughts of losing my wife.
I couldn’t imagine death separating my lovely wife from my arms.
So, I put myself in his shoes and donated immediately to save his wife’s life.
I have never met the patient before, but that’s what love does.
You put yourself in other people’s shoes and help them without expecting a reward.
I have put together “love your neighbor bible verses” to inspire you today.
Recommended for you
- Scriptures about loving others unconditionally
- Bible verses about caring for yourself
- Importance of serving the church voluntarily: Inspiring scriptures
- Bible verses about helping your neighbor
Bible Verses About Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
Leviticus 19:18
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
Romans 13:9
The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.
James 2:8
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you are doing right.
Matthew 22:39-40
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[a] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
Matthew 19:19
honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 5:43-44
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Exodus 23:4-5
“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it
Mark 12:31
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[a] There is no commandment greater than these.
Matthew 7:12
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets
Luke 10:27
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
1 John 4:21
And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
James 2:8-9
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
1 John 4:7-8
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 3:17-19
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
More love your neighbor bible verses
Luke 10:36-37
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Leviticus 19:13
“‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.
Romans 13:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:10
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
John 13:34
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.
Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Deuteronomy 24:14-15
Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. 15 Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin
1 Timothy 1:5
The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
Recommended for you
- Scriptures about loving others unconditionally
- Bible verses about caring for yourself
- Importance of serving the church voluntarily: Inspiring scriptures
- Bible verses about helping your neighbor
More words for encouragement
We’ve already seen important scriptures about loving your neighbor as yourself.
But who is your neighbor? Are there scriptural examples of who our neighbor is? How can we love our neighbor as ourselves?
Here are two crucial facts you should know
1. You are your neighbor
In those days, Jesus told a lot of parables to simplify what he wanted to say.
One of those parables that teach us to love our neighbors as ourselves is the parable of the good samaritan.
There was a man that traveled from Jerusalem towards Jericho. As he did, he was attacked by thieves, who stole all he had and inflicted him with bodily injuries.
He was left half-dead, lying on the floor without any hope in sight.
Then came a Levite and a priest. They saw him but quickly walked past him without attending to his needs.
And then came a stranger, the good samaritan. Immediately he saw him; he had compassion on him.
He came down from his Donkey and applied first aid to his wounds.
Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
At the end of the parable, Christ asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers.”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Did you notice the one who rendered help was the neighbor? Not the injured jew that was robbed and injured by thieves.
In other words, we must look at ourselves and search our hearts
Loving your neighbor starts with yourself. We must put on the character of love and be willing to assist those around us
To help a neighbor, you must be a neighbor at heart
2. It is a command, not an advice
There are lots of commandments in the scriptures
Loving your neighbor as yourself is one of them
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.
