22:34 Now when the Pharisees 1 heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, 2 they assembled together. 3 22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law, 4 asked him a question to test 5 him: 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 6 22:37 Jesus 7 said to him, “‘Love 8 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 9 22:38 This is the first and greatest 10 commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 11 22:40 All the law and the prophets depend 12 on these two commandments.”
12:28 Now 13 one of the experts in the law 14 came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus 15 answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love 16 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 17 12:31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 18 There is no other commandment greater than these.” 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. 19 12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength 20 and to love your neighbor as yourself 21 is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.
1 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
2 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
3 tn Grk “for the same.” That is, for the same purpose that the Sadducees had of testing Jesus.
4 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law.
5 tn Grk “testing.” The participle, however, is telic in force.
6 tn Or possibly “What sort of commandment in the law is great?”
7 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
8 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
9 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The threefold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
10 tn Grk “the great and first.”
11 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
12 tn Grk “hang.” The verb κρεμάννυμι (kremannumi) is used here with a figurative meaning (cf. BDAG 566 s.v. 2.b).
13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
14 tn Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
15 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
16 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
17 sn A quotation from Deut 6:4-5 and Josh 22:5 (LXX). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
18 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
19 sn A quotation from Deut 4:35.
20 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5.
21 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
22 tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).
23 tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
24 tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
25 tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness – ‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
26 sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.