The phrase "love others as you love yourself" is a core principle in the Bible, rooted in the Old Testament and famously repeated by Jesus Christ as one of the two greatest commandments.
The command originates in Leviticus 19:18, where it was given to the Israelites. It was later reaffirmed in the New Testament by Jesus in passages such as:
Matthew 22:37-40: When asked for the greatest commandment, Jesus stated the first was to love God completely and the second was, "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Mark 12:31: He stated, "The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The phrase does not imply that you must love yourself perfectly before you can love others, but rather that your natural self-regard should be the measure of how you treat other people. It offers a standard for empathy and action.
The teaching establishes a standard for how to interact with other people. It suggests that the way you treat yourself should serve as a baseline for how you treat others.
The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) illustrates how this command extends beyond one's own community or group to include everyone, regardless of their background.
To love others "as yourself," one should not be cruel or neglectful towards them, just as they would not want to be treated that way. This means actively caring for the well-being and happiness of those around you.
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