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Epiphany Season · Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year A

Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18

Be Holy As the Lord Is Holy: No Hatred, No Grudges, Love Your Neighbor

February 22, 2026

The Good Samaritan, Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps
The Good Samaritan, Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps, circa 1842The Cleveland Museum of Art (CC0)
A French orientalist's version, set on a real stony road with the injured man being lifted in strong afternoon light.You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin. You shall love your neighbour as yourself.The Cleveland Museum of Art (CC0)A large encyclopaedic museum in Ohio, free to enter since it opened in 1916.The Cleveland Museum of Art (CC0)
Roman Lectionary
GospelMatt. 5:38-48Mt 5:38-48
Second Reading1 Cor. 3:16-231 Cor 3:16-23
First ReadingLev. 19:1-2, 17-18Lv 19:1-2, 17-18
Responsorial PsalmPs. 103:1-2, 3-4, 8+10, 12-13 (8a)Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8+10, 12-13 (8a)

Overview & Insights

"You shall not hate your brother in your heart... you shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Leviticus 19:17-18)

In the middle of the Holiness Code, God grounds Israel's ethics in his own character: be holy because I am holy. The command to love the neighbor as oneself sits beside a ban on inward grudges, making plain that holiness is measured in how the community treats the people nearest to it.

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Take it further: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18

Commentary

Commentary on Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18Commentary on Lv 19:1-2, 9-18 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary commentary on the Holiness Code as a charter for community rather than a list of private virtues.

Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 CommentaryLv 19:1-2, 9-18 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed preaching commentary on how we treat other people mattering to a holy God.

Leviticus 19 CommentaryLv 19 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse by verse reading of the many various laws grounded in be holy, for I am holy.

Leviticus 19 CommentaryLv 19 Commentary Precept Austin

Deep verse by verse study notes gathering many conservative scholars on loving the neighbor as oneself.

Leviticus 19 - Gill's Exposition of the Whole BibleLv 19 - Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible StudyLight

Gill's Exposition verse by verse on the ban on hatred, grudges and the command to love the neighbor.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A Agape Bible Study

Catholic Bible study notes on the Holiness Code as the Old Testament root of Jesus' command to love enemies.

Background & Word Study

Leviticus 19:18 InterlinearLv 19:18 Interlinear BibleHub

Hebrew word by word with parsing for the command to love your neighbor as yourself.

Leviticus 19Lv 19 Sefaria

Hebrew text alongside English for the Holiness Code chapter Jesus later quotes as the second great commandment.

The Church Fathers

Leviticus 19 - Catena Bible & CommentariesLv 19 - Catena Bible & Commentaries Catena

Patristic comment on holiness as the ground of neighbor love in this chapter.

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