Bible story
The Greatest Commandment Prayer
A short, Scripture-shaped bible story prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.
The prayer
A prayer to pray now
Lord Jesus, You said to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. You said to love my neighbor as myself. There is no greater command. Help me not to love You and forget the people around me. Help me not to love people and forget You. Keep me from dropping one to keep the other. The person I will meet today is the one You want me to love, not the one I would have picked. The God I will worship today is the one You show me in Scripture, not the one I would make up in my head. Hold me in both. Amen.
How to pray it
- Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
- Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
- Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.
Verses to pray
Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’12:30 Deuteronomy 6:4-5 This is the first commandment.
Mark 12:30The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’12:31 Leviticus 19:18 There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:31
Questions about this prayer
When should I pray the greatest commandment prayer?
Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.
Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?
This prayer is anchored in Mark 12:30, Mark 12:31. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.
Can I save or share this prayer?
Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.