Matthew 22:37 TNIV Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'

Mark 12:30 TNIV Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

Luke 10:27 TNIV He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Does anyone have any insight as to why is strength left out of Matt 22:37 and why is mind added to what's in the OT?

Deuteronomy 6:5 TNIV Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Jeff

No, not really. I take it that these are the small differences one would expect to see with three different authors. If everything was verbatim, then there would not need the three synaptic gospels. We get the message from the three so we're none the worse off.

i wish i could help you... i gotta invite my friend who would know... hmm...

My immediate guess would be manuscript variations in the OT versions. Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.

Important to remember in cases of variants in OT scriptural quotes one writer might be reading the equivalant of the NASB, while another might read the same passage in the equivalent of the NIV. And since so much was memorized, it's also possible the writer is quoting his memory of the passage.

No cut and paste in those days.

Are the gospel writers then recalling the Shema from their memory knowing that Jesus quoted it? I suppose there isn't a concrete answer.

Thanks for your input on these questions.