New International Version “’Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. New Living Translation “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. English Standard Version You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. Berean Standard Bible Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Berean Literal Bible You shall not take vengeance, and you shall not bear a grudge against sons of your people, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am YHWH. King James Bible Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. New King James Version You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. New American Standard Bible You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. NASB 1995 ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. NASB 1977 ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. Legacy Standard Bible You shall not take vengeance, and you shall not keep your anger against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh. Amplified Bible You shall not take revenge nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor (acquaintance, associate, companion) as yourself; I am the LORD. Berean Annotated Bible Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself <Mat 5:43, Mat 19:19, Mat 22:39, Mrk 12:31, Luk 10:27, Rom 13:9, Gal 5:14, Jas 2:8>. I am the LORD {YHWH}. Christian Standard Bible Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. Holman Christian Standard Bible Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.” American Standard Version Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah. Contemporary English Version Don't be angry or try to take revenge. I am the LORD, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself. English Revised Version Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. GOD'S WORD® Translation Never get revenge. Never hold a grudge against any of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as you love yourself. I am the LORD. Good News Translation Do not take revenge on others or continue to hate them, but love your neighbors as you love yourself. I am the LORD. International Standard Version "You are not to seek vengeance or hold a grudge against the descendants of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." NET Bible You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. New Heart English Bible "'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Webster's Bible Translation Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; I am the LORD. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleDo not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. World English Bible “‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionYou do not take vengeance, nor watch the sons of your people; and you have had love for your neighbor as yourself; I [am] YHWH. Berean Literal Bible You shall not take vengeance, and you shall not bear a grudge against sons of your people, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am YHWH. Young's Literal Translation Thou dost not take vengeance, nor watch the sons of thy people; and thou hast had love to thy neighbour as thyself; I am Jehovah. Smith's Literal Translation Thou shalt not avenge thyself nor keep anger with the sons of thy people, and didst love thy neighbor as thyself. I Jehovah. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleSeek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens. Thou shalt love thy friend as thyself. I am the Lord. Catholic Public Domain Version Do not seek revenge, neither should you be mindful of the injury of your fellow citizens. You shall love your friend as yourself. I am the Lord. New American Bible Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. New Revised Standard Version You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleYou shall not bear any enmity against the children of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Do not keep hate for the children your people, but love your fellow man as yourself. I AM LORD JEHOVAH. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. Brenton Septuagint Translation And thy hand shall not avenge thee; and thou shalt not be angry with the children of thy people; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; I am the Lord. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Love Your Neighbor…17You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him. 18Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Cross References Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, Romans 12:17-21 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. / If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. / Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” … Proverbs 24:29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.” Deuteronomy 32:35 Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.” but love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Romans 13:9 The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I am the LORD. Leviticus 18:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am the LORD your God. Exodus 20:2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will equip you for battle, though you have not known Me, 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’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:14 The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. Matthew 5:43-44 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ / But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 1 John 4:21 And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well. 1 John 3:11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. John 13:34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. Treasury of Scripture You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. not avenge Exodus 23:4,5 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again… Deuteronomy 32:25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs. 2 Samuel 13:22,28 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar… thou shalt Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Matthew 22:39,40 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself… Jump to Previous Attempts Avenge Bear Children Equal Feelings Grudge Hard Love Neighbor Neighbour Revenge Seek Thyself Vengeance Watch WrongJump to Next Attempts Avenge Bear Children Equal Feelings Grudge Hard Love Neighbor Neighbour Revenge Seek Thyself Vengeance Watch WrongLeviticus 19 1. A repetition of various lawsDo not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, Israel’s covenant life required restraint when wronged. Personal retaliation and lasting resentment could divide families, clans, and towns, producing cycles of conflict. God required His people to leave judgment in His hands and preserve peace within the community. Rom 12:17-21 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider… but love your neighbor as yourself. Love was to govern relationships among fellow Israelites, seeking another’s good with the same concern given to one’s own welfare. This command rejects selfishness, partiality, and hostility, calling God’s people to faithful care for those around them. Mat 22:39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ I am the LORD. The command rests on God’s authority and character. Israel was set apart as His covenant people, and their treatment of others was to reflect their obedience to the Lord who had redeemed them. Lev 18:2 Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am the LORD… Persons / Places / Events 1. The IsraelitesThe original audience of Leviticus, the Israelites were God's chosen people, receiving the Law through Moses as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land. 2. Moses The leader of the Israelites and the mediator of God's Law, including the instructions found in Leviticus. 3. Mount Sinai The place where God gave the Law to Moses, including the commandments found in Leviticus. 4. The LORD (Yahweh) The covenant God of Israel, who commands His people to live in holiness and love, reflecting His character. 5. Neighbor In the context of Leviticus, this refers to fellow Israelites, but the principle extends to all people as seen in the broader biblical account. Teaching Points The Call to LoveAs believers, we are called to love others selflessly, reflecting God's love for us. This love is not just an emotion but an action that seeks the well-being of others. Forgiveness Over Revenge Holding grudges and seeking revenge are contrary to God's command. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven, trusting God to be the ultimate judge. Holiness in Relationships Our relationships with others are a reflection of our relationship with God. Loving our neighbor is a practical expression of living a holy life. Identity in God The command ends with "I am the LORD," reminding us that our identity and actions are rooted in our relationship with God. Our love for others is a response to His authority and character. Universal Application While originally directed at the Israelites, the principle of loving one's neighbor extends to all humanity, as affirmed by Jesus and the New Testament writers. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Leviticus 19:18?2. How does Leviticus 19:18 define loving your neighbor as yourself practically today? 3. What does "do not seek revenge" teach about forgiveness in Christian life? 4. How does Leviticus 19:18 connect with Jesus' teachings in Matthew 22:39? 5. Why is loving your neighbor central to fulfilling God's commandments in Scripture? 6. How can you implement "love your neighbor" in your daily interactions this week? 7. How does Leviticus 19:18 define the concept of loving your neighbor as yourself? 8. Why is Leviticus 19:18 significant in understanding the moral laws of the Old Testament? 9. How does Leviticus 19:18 relate to Jesus' teachings in the New Testament? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 19? (18) Thou shalt not avenge.--As the preceding verse enjoins upon us to reprove the offender, this verse forbids us to avenge the wrong even when the rebuke has proved ineffectual, thus demanding the greatest sacrifice on the part of the injured person. The administrators of the law during the second Temple illustrate what is meant by avenge by the following example. "When a disobliging person who is in need applies to you to lend him something, and you reply, 'I will not lend you even as you would not lend me,' this is to avenge." (Comp. also Romans 12:19.) Nor bear any grudge.--The law goes further still. It enjoins that the injured man is to banish from memory the injury he has suffered, though the offender has made no reparation. The spiritual authorities during the time of Christ regarded the simple reference to the injury when a kindly act is performed to our adversary as a violation of this injunction. They illustrated it by the following example. When an adversary applies to you to lend him something, and you actually comply with his request, but in so doing you say, "I lend it you, I will not act as you have acted, for you have refused to lend me," this is a violation of the command not to bear any grudge. "He who at the reconciliation with his adversary readily forgives his transgressions, his own trespasses will also be readily forgiven in the day of judgment," is the oft-repeated precept of the sages during the second Temple. Again, "He who suffers injuries and does not return injury for injury, he who is reviled? 1 does not revile again, fulfils acts of love and rejoice in suffering; of him it is said, 'Those that love him are like the sun, which comes forth in its might from all dark clouds beaming with light'" (Judges 5:31). Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.--This sublime precept formed the centre around which clustered the ethical systems propounded by some of the most distinguished Jewish teachers during the second Temple. When Hillel was asked by one who wished to learn the sum and substance of the Divine Law in the shortest possible time, this sage replied by giving a paraphrase of the precept before us in a negative form, "What thou dost not wish that others should do to thee, that do not thou to others; this is the whole Law, the rest is only its interpretation. Now go and learn." Christ gives it in the positive form (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31; Romans 13:8-10). . . . Verse 18. - Revenge and malice are forbidden as well as hatred, and the negative precepts culminate in the positive law. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, which sums up in itself one half of the Decalogue (Matthew 22:40). "For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law" (Romans 13:8-10). Leviticus 19:18 forbids personal payback, roots out simmering resentment, and replaces both with a proactive, self-denying love that mirrors the care we naturally show ourselves. The authority of the LORD Himself seals the command, leaving no loophole: obey because He said so, trust His justice, and let His love flow through you to every neighbor.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Do notלֹֽא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no seek revenge תִקֹּ֤ם (ṯiq·qōm) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5358: To grudge, avenge, punish or bear a grudge תִטֹּר֙ (ṯiṭ·ṭōr) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5201: To guard, to cherish against any בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son of your people, עַמֶּ֔ךָ (‘am·me·ḵā) Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock but love וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ (wə·’ā·haḇ·tā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 157: To have affection f your neighbor לְרֵעֲךָ֖ (lə·rê·‘ă·ḵā) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow as yourself. כָּמ֑וֹךָ (kā·mō·w·ḵā) Preposition | second person masculine singular Strong's 3644: Like, as, when I אֲנִ֖י (’ă·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I am the LORD. יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel Additonal Resources Leviticus 19:18 Blue Letter BibleLeviticus 19:18 Bible Gateway Leviticus 19:18 Bible.com Leviticus 19:18 NIV |
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