What then is the conclusion of the matter? Love yourself, if that means rational and healthy self-interest. You are commanded to do that. That is the length of life. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. You are commanded to do that. That is the breadth of life. But never forget that there is a first and even greater commandment: “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” This is the height of life. Only by a painstaking development of all three of these dimensions can you expect to have a complete life.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) American clergyman, civil rights leader, social activist, preacher
Sermon (1963 ed.), “Three Dimensions of a Complete Life,” sec. 3, Strength to Love, ch. 9
(Source)
For the Biblical text on the commandments mentioned, see here.
This was one of King's favorite sermons, possibly originating in 1952, and he reworked and delivered it (or reprinted it) throughout his life. The length/breadth/height concept was inspired by a sermon by Episcopal bishop Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), "The Symmetry of Life."
Other versions:Look up beyond your self interest. Look up beyond your concern for humanity. Look up to the very height of life itself and then you find God who makes life complete. We are commanded to love ourselves and we are commanded to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, but still there is a greater commandment which says “Love the Lord thy God …”
[Sermon (1954-01-24), "The Dimensions of a Complete Life," Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama]Love yourself, if that means rational, healthy, and moral self-interest. You are commanded to do that. That is the length of life. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. You are commanded to do that. That is the breadth of life. But never forget that there is a first and even greater commandment, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy mind." This is the height of life. And when you do this you live the complete life.
[Sermon (1959), "Dimensions of a Complete Life," The Measure of a Man]Love yourself, you are commanded to do that. That is the length of life. Love your neighbor as you love yourself, you are commanded to do that. That’s the breadth of life. But never forget that there is a first and even greater commandment: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. That is the height of life. And when you do this, you’ll live the complete life.
[Sermon (1960-02-28), "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life," Friendship Baptist Church, Pasadena, California]Love yourself if that means rational, healthy, and moral self-interest. You are commanded to do that; that is the length of life. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. You are commanded to do that; that is the breadth of life. But never forget there is a first and even greater commandment: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. That is the height of life. When an individual does this, he lives a complete life.
[Sermon (1960-12-11), "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life," Unitarian Church, Germantown, Pennsylvania]Go out this morning. Love yourself. That means rational and healthy self-interest; you were commanded to do that. That's the length of life. Then follow that, love your neighbor as you love yourself; you're commanded to do that. That's then breadth of life. I'm going to take my seat now by letting you know that there's a first and even greater commandment: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all our strength. I think the psychologists all , with all thy personality. And when you do that, you've got the [height] of life, and when you get all three of these together, you can walk and never get weary ...
[Sermon (1967-04-09), "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life," New Covenant Baptist Church, Chicago (audio)]
Quotations about:
greatest commandment
Note not all quotations have been tagged, so Search may find additional quotes on this topic.
“Teacher,” he asked, “which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.”[Διδάσκαλε ποία ἐντολὴ μεγάλη ἐν τῷ νόμῳ. Ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ Ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου. αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μεγάλη καὶ πρώτη ἐντολή. δευτέρα ‹δὲ› ὁμοία αὐτῇ Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν. ἐν ταύταις ταῖς δυσὶν ἐντολαῖς ὅλος ὁ νόμος κρέμαται καὶ οἱ προφῆται.]
The Bible (The New Testament) (AD 1st - 2nd C) Christian sacred scripture
Book 1. Gospel of Matthew 22:36ff (Matt 22:36–40) [GNT (1976)]
(Source)
The two Old Testament verses quoted by Jesus are from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
This passage is paralleled in Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:25-28; in the latter it serves as an introduction to the Parable of the Good Samaritan as to who counts as a "neighbor."
(Source (Greek)). Other translations:Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
[KJV (1611)]'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?' Jesus said, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.'
[JB (1966)]'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?' Jesus said to him, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets too.'
[NJB (1985)]“Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
[CEB (2011)]“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
[NIV (2011 ed.)]“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
[NRSV (2021 ed.)]
