Matthew 22:37 is a verse from the New Testament of the Bible, specifically from the Gospel of Matthew. In this verse, Jesus is quoted as saying, "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." This statement is part of Jesus' response to a Pharisee who asked Him which is the greatest commandment in the Law. The verse encapsulates the essence of the Jewish Shema (Hebrew: שְׁמַע), a central prayer in Judaism found in Deuteronomy 6:5, which commands believers to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength. The Greek text of Matthew 22:37 translates to Hebrew as "וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יֵשׁוּעַ תֶּאֱהַב אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְדַבְּרֶךָ." The verse is also significant in Christian theology as it underscores the importance of loving God wholeheartedly. Translations of this verse into other relevant languages include "Ama al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, con toda tu alma y con toda tu mente" in Spanish, "Aime le Seigneur, ton Dieu, de tout ton cœur, de toute ton âme et de toute ta pensée" in French, and "Liebe den Herrn, deinen Gott, von ganzem Herzen, von ganzer Seele und von ganzem Gemüt" in German.
Chapter of the New Testament
Matthew 22 is the twenty-second chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. Jesus continues his final ministry in Jerusalem before his Passion. Teaching in the Temple, Jesus enters into debate successively with the Pharisees, allied with the Herodians, the Sadducees, and a lawyer, ultimately silencing them all.