You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Deuteronomy 6:5
What does Deuteronomy 6:5 mean?
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Deuteronomy 6:5
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The verse isn't just asking for intense emotion, but a love that encompasses every part of your being – your deepest thoughts ("heart"), your very identity and will ("soul"), and all your energy and resources ("might"). It's a radical call for undivided devotion to the One God who has claimed you.
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Right before this verse, God has just declared His absolute oneness, emphasizing that Israel's allegiance belongs solely to Him. This command to love the Lord with everything they have—their innermost thoughts, their entire being, and all their strength—is presented as the essential response to this divine uniqueness. It sets the stage for the Shema, which will be repeated throughout Israel's life as the core affirmation of their faith and covenant relationship with God.
God doesn't just want a piece of you; He asks for all of you. This verse breaks down exactly what 'all' means.
This verse is a foundational command, a cornerstone of the relationship between God and His people.
The Core of True Worship
God calls for a love that engages our entire being.
This isn't just about feeling good; it's about a total surrender, a unified devotion to the One who is the source of all life and love.
Why does God ask for our love? It's the key that unlocks genuine obedience.
This command to love God isn't just an emotional plea; it's the wellspring from which all true obedience flows.
From Love to Living
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When we truly love God with our whole being, His commands stop feeling like a burden and start becoming a delight.
Understand the original words
ahav · Hebrew Verb
A deep, covenantal commitment and active devotion that encompasses the entirety of a person's being, will, and emotional life.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The inner person, including the mind, will, intellect, and moral decisions; it is the center of human agency and devotion.
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
The inner life, breath, or essence of a person; it represents the seat of life and the deepest aspects of the human personality.
me'od · Hebrew Noun/Adverb
The strength, intensity, or abundance of one's resources, emphasizing that devotion to God must be total and exhaustive.
Jesus directly quotes this verse when asked about the greatest commandment, highlighting its supreme importance in both the Old and New Testaments.
1 John 4:19This New Testament passage explains that our love for God is a response to His prior, foundational love for us, giving us a reason and a motive for the all-encompassing love commanded in Deuteronomy.
Romans 12:1The apostle Paul calls believers to offer their 'bodies as living sacrifices' as an act of worship, which powerfully reflects the 'all your heart, soul, and might' devotion called for in Deuteronomy.
Mark 12:30This Gospel account shows Jesus expanding on the Shema, adding 'mind' to the description of what is to be devoted to God, showing how this ancient command encompasses our entire being – thoughts, affections, and actions.
gillDeuteronomy 6:5: "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God,.... Which is the first and chief commandment in the law, the sum and substance of the first table of it; and includes in it, or at least has connected with it, knowledge of God, esteem of him, delight in him, faith and trust in him, fear and worship of him, and obedience to him, which when right springs from it. God is to be loved bec…
clarkeDeuteronomy 6:5: "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
Thou shalt love the Lord, etc. - Here we see the truth of that word of the apostle, 1 Timothy 1:5 : Now the End of the Commandment is Love out of a pure heart, etc. See the whole of the doctrine contained in this verse explained on Matthew 22:36-40 (note).
The verse isn't just asking for intense emotion, but a love that encompasses every part of your being – your deepest thoughts ("heart"), your very identity and will ("soul"), and all your energy and resources ("might"). It's a radical call for undivided devotion to the One God who has claimed you.
Right before this verse, God has just declared His absolute oneness, emphasizing that Israel's allegiance belongs solely to Him. This command to love the Lord with everything they have—their innermost thoughts, their entire being, and all their strength—is presented as the essential response to this divine uniqueness. It sets the stage for the Shema, which will be repeated throughout Israel's life as the core affirmation of their faith and covenant relationship with God.
Right before this verse, God has just declared His absolute oneness, emphasizing that Israel's allegiance belongs solely to Him. This command to love the Lord with everything they have—their innermost thoughts, their entire being, and all their strength—is presented as the essential response to this divine uniqueness. It sets the stage for the Shema, which will be repeated throughout Israel's life as the core affirmation of their faith and covenant relationship with God.
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." — The verse isn't just asking for intense emotion, but a love that encompasses every part of your being – your deepest thoughts ("heart"), your very identity and will ("soul"), and all your energy and…
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Last reviewed October 2026