What Does Luke 10:27 Mean?
Luke 10:27 meaning: what does it mean to love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and how does loving your neighbor connect to loving God?
Clear Bible Translation
Modern EnglishThe man answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind' — and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
King James Version
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Exegetical Breakdown
Luke, a Gentile physician, wrote this Gospel around 80-85 AD for a predominantly Gentile audience, carefully showing how Jesus fulfilled and interpreted Jewish law.
A lawyer stands before Jesus, testing him with the most fundamental question in Jewish theology: what must I do to inherit eternal life? Rather than answering directly, Jesus turns the question back to this expert in the Law—'What is written in the law? How do you read it?' The lawyer's response brilliantly weaves together two separate commandments: the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:5, recited twice daily by every devout Jew, and the lesser-known directive from Leviticus 19:18 about loving one's neighbor. What's remarkable is how this lawyer grasps what many miss—that these aren't two separate commands but one integrated whole. The Greek word for 'mind' (dianoia) appears only in Luke's version of this exchange, emphasizing that love for God must engage our intellect, not just our emotions. Love becomes the interpretive key that unlocks the entire Torah, reducing 613 commandments to their essential core. Jesus affirms this synthesis with a simple 'You have answered correctly'—yet both men know that knowing the right answer and living it are entirely different matters.
This exchange occurs during Jesus' journey to Jerusalem, as he faces increasingly hostile questioning from religious leaders. The lawyer's question follows immediately after Jesus' celebration that God reveals truth to 'little children' rather than the wise and learned. Luke presents this as a test, though the lawyer's response suggests genuine theological insight rather than mere trap-setting. The conversation will continue with the famous parable of the Good Samaritan, triggered by the lawyer's follow-up question about who qualifies as a 'neighbor.'
Read the full chapter: Luke 10 →
Practical Application
Love cannot be compartmentalized—it must engage every faculty we possess and flow outward to others in concrete acts of service. The lawyer knew the right answer but struggled with its practical implications, a tension every believer faces when choosing between theological knowledge and costly obedience.
Luke at a Glance
A chapter-by-chapter breakdown covering all 24 chapters
Luke 10:27 is one moment in a larger narrative. Chapter 10 builds on what came before and sets up what follows — but that structure is invisible when you read a single verse in isolation.
From the Luke Summary
Luke, written by the beloved physician and companion of Paul (around 60–80 AD), is the most orderly and historically detailed Gospel.
Addressed to Theophilus, it highlights Jesus’ compassion for outsiders, the poor, women, and sinners.
Luke carefully traces Jesus’ journey from birth to ascension, including unique parables like the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son.
The book portrays a Savior who welcomes the marginalized and seeks the lost.
Its sweeping narrative builds toward the cross and resurrection with both tenderness and power.
Scripture with Similar Themes
- Leviticus 19:18 →Also explores love
- Matthew 11:28 →Connects love with divine rest
- 1 Corinthians 13:4 →Connects love with divine love
Common Questions
- Who wrote Luke 10:27 and when?
- Luke, a Gentile physician, wrote this Gospel around 80-85 AD for a predominantly Gentile audience, carefully showing how Jesus fulfilled and interpreted Jewish law.
- What themes does Luke 10:27 address?
- The primary theme is love. Related themes include obedience and discipleship and law.
- What does the Bible say about love?
- Love cannot be compartmentalized—it must engage every faculty we possess and flow outward to others in concrete acts of service. The lawyer knew the right answer but struggled with its practical implications, a tension every believer faces when choosing between theological knowledge and costly obedience.