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Faith and beliefs

What does “love your neighbor as yourself” mean?

2 min read Answered by the Neighbor Radio team Neighbor review in progress Updated

It means caring about other people’s good as much as your own. The command first appears in the Torah, the Jewish books of law (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus called it the second greatest command (Mark 12:31). Islam teaches the same idea in a well-known saying of Muhammad. And Jesus’ Good Samaritan story shows that “neighbor” includes people you were taught to avoid.

1 · MindWhat people believe, and how they know

This is the rare teaching all three traditions hold through their own scriptures, and that reason and experience keep confirming: people flourish when they’re treated the way we’d want to be.

What each tradition or community says

Judaism

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). The same chapter says to love the foreigner living among you as yourself (19:34). Rabbi Hillel summed up the Torah as not doing to others what is hateful to you (Talmud, Shabbat 31a; the Talmud is a central collection of Jewish teaching).

Christianity

Jesus paired it with loving God with all your heart (Mark 12:29-31) and told the Good Samaritan story to answer “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25-37).

Islam

A widely cited hadith (a saying of the Prophet Muhammad) teaches that none of you truly believes until you want for your brother what you want for yourself (Sahih al-Bukhari 13, summarized). The Qur’an commands kindness to near and distant neighbors (Qur’an 4:36).

No religion

Most moral philosophies have a version of the Golden Rule. Many non-religious people live it out quietly every day.

2 · HeartWhat it feels like

“Love” here isn’t a warm feeling you have to manufacture. It’s action: noticing need and doing something about it. You can love a neighbor you find confusing, annoying, or hard to read.

“As yourself” assumes you take care of yourself. If you’re running on empty, loving your neighbor includes letting someone love you back.

Jesus took the one guy you’d least want to sit next to at a potluck and made him the hero. That’s not a coincidence. That’s the point.Neighbor Radio

3 · HandsHow to be a good neighbor

A lawyer asked Jesus to define “neighbor,” probably hoping for a short list. Jesus told a story where the hero was a Samaritan, a group the lawyer’s people looked down on. Then he flipped the question: not “who counts as my neighbor?” but “who acted like a neighbor?” (Luke 10:36-37).

This weekFind the person in your circle who usually gets skipped, and include them in one ordinary thing.

SourcesWhere it is in the scriptures

Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament)

New Testament

  • Mark 12:31 Read it in the World English Bible on Free Scripture
  • Mark 12:29-31 Read it in the World English Bible on Free Scripture
  • Luke 10:25-37 Read it in the World English Bible on Free Scripture
  • Luke 10:36-37 Read it in the World English Bible on Free Scripture

Qur’an

  • Qur'an 4:36

Hadith

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 13

Bible passages are quoted from the World English Bible. Other sacred texts are summarized, with references so you can find them.

Plain wordsWhat do these words mean?

Torah
The first five books of the Hebrew Bible, Genesis to Deuteronomy. Jews read from a Torah scroll in the synagogue. The word also means “teaching.”
Rabbi
A Jewish teacher and leader who has studied Jewish law and tradition. Many lead synagogues.
Talmud
A huge collection of rabbis’ discussions about Jewish law and life, finished around AD 500. Jews still study it together today.
Shabbat
The Jewish Sabbath, a day of rest from Friday at sundown to Saturday night.
Hadith
A report of something the Prophet Muhammad said or did. Muslims use collections of hadith alongside the Qur’an.
Prophet
Someone believed to speak a message from God.
Qur’an
The holy book of Islam. Muslims believe God revealed it to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.

All the words →

Four questions to take with you

From Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan, about the stranger who stopped to help. We call it the Samaritan Test.

  1. Did they see? Or look right past?
  2. Did they stop? Even when it was inconvenient?
  3. Did it cost them? Time, money, comfort, reputation?
  4. Did they treat the person like a person? Not like a label?

Try it on: the neighbor you’d cross the street to avoid. What would it cost you to say hello?

Quick questions

Who is my neighbor?

In Jesus’ answer, anyone in need you’re able to help, including people outside your group.

Does loving your neighbor mean agreeing with them?

No. You can disagree deeply and still act for someone’s good.

Sources and research
  1. Leviticus 19:18, 34; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-37 (World English Bible)
  2. Qur'an 4:36
  3. Sahih al-Bukhari 13
How this answer was made

Written in plain words by the Neighbor Radio team. Each faith's and community's section is checked by someone from that faith or community. Until then, this page says so. Spot something wrong? Tell us. We read every note and fix mistakes.

Where to go next

Free tools that go with this

  • Free Scripture (opens in a new tab)→ Read

    A calm Bible reader with three translations and full search. No ads, no sign-up. Just the words.

    First step: Look up any Bible verse quoted on this site.

  • Luther's World (opens in a new tab)→ Learn

    Gentle, plain-language lessons from the Lutheran tradition. Tap any word you don’t know and it explains itself.

    First step: Start with the Lord’s Prayer, one line at a time.