Leviticus · Chapter 19 · Love
Leviticus 19:18 — 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 not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh."
KJV · King James Version
"Thou shalt not avenge5358, nor bear any grudge5201 against the children1121 of thy people5971, but thou shalt love157 thy neighbour7453 as thyself3644: I am the LORD3068."
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, avenge, thy, while the WEB renders these as you, shall, take, vengeance. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Leviticus 19:18 in Leviticus 19
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Leviticus 19:18 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Leviticus 19. Read the full chapter →
- v.16 “‘You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people. “‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Yahweh.
- v.17 “‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
- v.18 “‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.
- v.19 “‘You shall keep my statutes. “‘You shall not cross-breed different kinds of animals. “‘You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; “‘Don’t wear a garment made of two kinds of material.
- v.20 “‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed, or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
Book background
About the Book of Leviticus
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Law (Pentateuch)
- Author
- Moses (traditional)
- Date written
- c. 1446–1406 BC
- Audience
- Israel at Sinai
- Chapters
- 27
Leviticus details the sacrificial system, priestly duties, dietary laws, festivals, and holiness code that defined Israel's worship. Its central message — "Be holy because I am holy" — establishes how a sinful people may dwell near a holy God. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and the scapegoat ritual prefigure Christ's sacrificial work in Hebrews.
Setting: Composed at Mount Sinai immediately after the tabernacle was completed.
Key themes: holiness · sacrifice · priesthood · purity · atonement
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Leviticus 19:18
Leviticus 19:18 contains 26 words in 4 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 not take vengeance
YSNTV
- 2
nor bear any grudge against the children of your people
NBAGAT
- 3
but you shall love your neighbor as yourself
BYSLYN
- 4
I am Yahweh.
IAY
Frequently asked
FAQ about Leviticus 19:18
What does Leviticus 19:18 say?
Leviticus 19:18 reads: "“‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh." — from the Old Testament, Leviticus (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 Leviticus 19:18 in?
Leviticus 19:18 is in the book of Leviticus, traditionally attributed to Moses (traditional) and written around c. 1446–1406 BC. Leviticus is law (pentateuch) in the Old Testament, originally addressed to Israel at Sinai. Best known for the holiness code and the Day of Atonement.
What is Leviticus 19:18 about?
Leviticus 19:18 is primarily a Bible verse about Love. Within Leviticus, Leviticus details the sacrificial system, priestly duties, dietary laws, festivals, and holiness code that defined Israel's worship. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Leviticus 19:18 in WEB and KJV?
Leviticus 19:18 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "“‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Thou shalt not avenge5358, nor bear any grudge5201 against the children1121 of thy people5971, but thou shalt love157 thy neighbour7453 as thyself3644: I am the LORD3068.". 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 Leviticus 19:18?
Leviticus 19:18 is 26 words in the WEB translation (147 characters), broken into 4 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 8 seconds.
How can I memorise Leviticus 19:18?
To memorise Leviticus 19:18, split it into its 4 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 Leviticus 19:18 matter in Leviticus?
Leviticus details the sacrificial system, priestly duties, dietary laws, festivals, and holiness code that defined Israel's worship. Its central message — "Be holy because I am holy" — establishes how a sinful people may dwell near a holy God. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and the scapegoat ritual prefigure Christ's sacrificial work in Hebrews. Leviticus 19:18 sits within this larger story — Leviticus as a whole emphasises holiness, sacrifice, priesthood.
How can I apply Leviticus 19:18 today?
Many readers use Leviticus 19:18 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 Leviticus 19:18 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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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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Deuteronomy 6:5
“You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”
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