Bible Verse Lookup

We see a lengthy list of commandments that, at first glance, may seem disconnected because they address a mix of moral, ethical, religious, and even agricultural issues, which today we might call environmental. Despite this variety, they are connected by a single theme: “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (2). Every part of human life—whether religious, social, moral, or ethical—is directed at honoring God’s name and fostering personal holiness.
What is new in this chapter is that, among the religious concerns (1-8) and more general ones, like maintaining harmony in farming (19.23-25) and personal appearance (27ff), there is a set of rules about just relations with neighbors (9-18). These reach their peak in verse 18: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” which Jesus himself called the central message of the Law and the Prophets, alongside love of God (Mt 22:39).