Duty to neighbours

Neighbours defined

Those who live nearby

Proverbs 3:29 NASB95

Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you.

See also Ex 3:22; Ex 12:4; Dt 19:14; 2 Ki 4:3; Pr 27:10; Lk 15:4–6

Those of the same race

Leviticus 19:18 NASB95

‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

See also 1 Sa 15:27–28; 1 Sa 28:17; 1 Ch 12:38–40

Peoples of surrounding nations

Deuteronomy 1:7 NASB95

‘Turn and set your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the Negev and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.

See also Jos 9:16; 1 Sa 7:14; Ezr 9:1; Ne 9:30; Ne 10:28; Ne 10:31; Ps 76:11; Eze 16:26

Those who show mercy to people in need

Luke 10:29–37 NASB95

But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. “And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. “Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. “But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. “On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Fellow Christians

Ephesians 4:25 NASB95

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

See also Ro 15:1–2; Ga 5:13–16; Jas 4:11–12

Duties to neighbours

Love

Matthew 22:34–39 NASB95

But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

See also Le 19:18; Dt 6:5; Mt 19:19; Ro 13:8–10; Ga 5:14; Jas 2:8–9

Assistance

Exodus 23:4–5 NASB95

“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. “If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him.

See also Dt 22:1–4; Pr 14:21; Mt 25:34–40

Fair treatment

Exodus 22:14 NASB95

“If a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he shall make full restitution.

See also Ex 20:17; Le 6:2–5; Le 19:15; Dt 5:21

Honest dealings

Leviticus 19:13 NASB95

‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.

See also Zec 8:16–17; Eph 4:25

Forgiveness

Ephesians 4:32 NASB95

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

See also Mt 18:21–35; Lk 17:3–4; Ro 15:1–2; Col 3:13

Reproof

Leviticus 19:17 NASB95

‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.

See also Lk 17:3; Ga 6:1–2

Prohibition of negative actions towards neighbours

False witness

Exodus 20:16 NASB95

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

See also Le 19:16; Pr 24:28

Oppression

Jeremiah 22:13 NASB95

“Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness And his upper rooms without justice, Who uses his neighbor’s services without pay And does not give him his wages,

See also Pr 3:28

Judgment

James 4:12 NASB95

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?

See also Mt 7:1–2; Lk 6:41–42; Ro 14:13