King James Bible
"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Paul radically summarizes the entire Mosaic law—with its hundreds of commandments—into a single principle. This echoes Jesus' teaching about the greatest commandments and demonstrates how love serves as the organizing principle that gives meaning to all other religious duties. This transitional phrase creates anticipation and emphasis, signaling that what follows is the specific "word" or command that encapsulates everything. Paul uses this rhetorical device to highlight the supreme importance of the coming statement. Quoting Leviticus 19:18, Paul identifies neighbor-love as the law's fulfillment—not its replacement but its completion. The standard "as thyself" assumes healthy self-regard and makes it the measure for how we treat others, creating a practical, universal ethic.