Sh'ma Prayer

The Sh'ma prayer (also spelled Shema) was a daily prayer in first-century Jewish life, known often to us in slightly different form as the "greatest command." It is the most foundational aspect of Jesus’ teaching and, therefore, ours. If you are traveling with us on a Travel the Text Biblical Sutdy Trip, we will recite this daily together. A video is provided below to hear/pray the words in Hebrew and in English. You can also download a pdf printable of this prayer at the bottom of this course page.

The original Hebrew language of the prayer is written below (using the English alphabet) in bold with an English translation underneath.

Sh'ma

Sh’ma Yisrael:  ADONAI Eloheynu, ADONAI echad!

Hear O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

V’ahavta et ADONAI Eloheykha b’khol levavkha,

     Love     the LORD     your God with all your heart,

  uv’khol naphsh’kha, uv’khol meodekha!...

and with all your soul,  and with all your might!...

...V’ahavta l ’re’akha kamokha!

...And love your neighbor as yourself!

-D’varim (Deuteronomy) 6:4-5 / V’yikhra (Leviticus) 19:18

English Only:

Hear O Israel:

The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

Love the LORD your God with all your heart,

and will all your soul, and with all your might!

And love your neighbor as yourself!