Deuteronomy · Chapter 6 · Love
Deuteronomy 6:5 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Love is the centre of Scripture's story. Read this one slowly.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might."
KJV · King James Version
"And thou shalt love157 the LORD3068 thy God430 with all thine heart3824, and with all thy soul5315, and with all thy might3966."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses thou, shalt, the, lord, while the WEB renders these as you, shall, yahweh, your. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Deuteronomy 6:5 in Deuteronomy 6
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Deuteronomy 6:5 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Deuteronomy 6. Read the full chapter →
- v.3 Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
- v.4 Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God. Yahweh is one.
- v.5 You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.
- v.6 These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart;
- v.7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Book background
About the Book of Deuteronomy
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Law (Pentateuch)
- Author
- Moses (traditional)
- Date written
- c. 1406 BC
- Audience
- The second-generation Israelites on the plains of Moab
- Chapters
- 34
Deuteronomy ("second law") is Moses' final exposition of the covenant — restating the law for a new generation about to enter Canaan. It contains the Shema (6:4-5), the great command to love God with all the heart, and the blessings and curses tied to obedience. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy more than any other book when tempted in the wilderness.
Setting: Moses' farewell sermons before Israel crossed the Jordan into Canaan.
Key themes: covenant renewal · love for God · obedience · blessing · curses
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Deuteronomy 6:5
Deuteronomy 6:5 contains 19 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart
YSLYYG
- 2
with all your soul
WAYS
- 3
and with all your might.
AWAYM
Frequently asked
FAQ about Deuteronomy 6:5
What does Deuteronomy 6:5 say?
Deuteronomy 6:5 reads: "You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might." — from the Old Testament, Deuteronomy (Law (Pentateuch)). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Deuteronomy 6:5 in?
Deuteronomy 6:5 is in the book of Deuteronomy, traditionally attributed to Moses (traditional) and written around c. 1406 BC. Deuteronomy is law (pentateuch) in the Old Testament, originally addressed to The second-generation Israelites on the plains of Moab. Best known for the Shema and "love the LORD your God with all your heart".
What is Deuteronomy 6:5 about?
Deuteronomy 6:5 is primarily a Bible verse about Love. Within Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy ("second law") is Moses' final exposition of the covenant — restating the law for a new generation about to enter Canaan. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Deuteronomy 6:5 in WEB and KJV?
Deuteronomy 6:5 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "And thou shalt love157 the LORD3068 thy God430 with all thine heart3824, and with all thy soul5315, and with all thy might3966.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Deuteronomy 6:5?
Deuteronomy 6:5 is 19 words in the WEB translation (96 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 6 seconds.
How can I memorise Deuteronomy 6:5?
To memorise Deuteronomy 6:5, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Deuteronomy 6:5 matter in Deuteronomy?
Deuteronomy ("second law") is Moses' final exposition of the covenant — restating the law for a new generation about to enter Canaan. It contains the Shema (6:4-5), the great command to love God with all the heart, and the blessings and curses tied to obedience. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy more than any other book when tempted in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 6:5 sits within this larger story — Deuteronomy as a whole emphasises covenant renewal, love for God, obedience.
How can I apply Deuteronomy 6:5 today?
Many readers use Deuteronomy 6:5 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Deuteronomy 6:5 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
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Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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1 John 4:8
“He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.”
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1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not pr…”
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Matthew 22:39
“A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
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John 13:34
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”
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1 Corinthians 13:13
“But now faith, hope, and love remain — these three. The greatest of these is love.”
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
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Ephesians 4:32
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
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Ruth 1:16
“Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be…”
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More featured verses in Deuteronomy
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Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them; for Yahweh your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.””
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Deuteronomy 31:8
“Yahweh himself is who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged.””
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Deuteronomy 7:9
“Know therefore that Yahweh your God himself is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandmen…”
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Deuteronomy 8:3
“He humbled you, and allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know; that he might teach you that ma…”
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