Mark 12:28-30

The Greatest Commandment

12:28 Now ¹  one of the experts in the law ²  came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus ³  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 ⁴  the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ⁵ 

[12:28]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[12:28]  ² tn Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[12:28]  ³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:30]  ⁴ tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).

[12:30]  ⁵ 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.