no such verse exists.  IMO trying to name one is an overly reductionistic exercise given the breadth and variety of the collection.

ANd why would we need to make the collection more palatable?  Why would we be so arrogant?  It isn't about us.  It is the witness of specific people to their understanding of GOd and God's activity.

These words, reported to be spoken by Jesus (Matthew 22: 36-40):

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

How about "judge not lest ye be judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measure to ye again"

Not that that sentament is actually adhered to in the bible, particualrly not in the old testament, nor do the vast majority of christians I know live by it.

God is love!  Maybe it's not the best summation of the bible, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the best way to wrap-up my personal faith.

 Quoted by Hilary:

That works for me too.

It is supposed to be John 3:16.

"I and the Father are one" from the Gospel of John.

Me too, I really like that. Ages ago the chuch at the church I attended the choir worked on a song that was those verses. I always really liked it.

My favorite has always been John 3:17. GOD did not send HIS son into the world to judge the world. HE sent HIS son to save the world through HIM.

That's always brought it home to me. It's about salvation, not condemnation.

The elevator pitch

I'm with Jesus and Hillel of course. The former is written to have said "this sums up the Law and the Prophets", the latter that "this is the whole Torah" - do unto others.

To Gord's point, that doesn't mean that we discard the rest. It does however, for me at least, mean that this is the lens through which I examine all the rest.

It also means that when someone asks me what I believe, I have just as clear and compelling a statement as the traditionalists.

Greetings!

For me it would be . . .

Mark 12:30-31

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength'.  The second is this 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself'.  There is no other commandment greater than these."

For me it wraps up what I am to do in my relationship with God and my relationship with humankind.

"Jesus sobbed." John 11:35 (NIrV).

This does it for me - and is my primary focus.

When I read the Bible I'm like a horse wearing blinkers, my attention is fixed on this central message.

I think it's important to emphasise loving oneself - as this is often overlooked.

Perhaps it's only when we're capable of loving ourselves, are we capable of truly loving our neighbour (everyone).

"like a horse wearing blinkers" . . . cool simile  .

Thank you for all of this.

My first thought was to the Mk 12 passage too, though I greatly appreciate the mention of Jn 11 "Jesus Sobbed".  I  also resonate a great deall with the first creation story; the constant reiteration of "and saw that it was good" and humans being made in the "image" (whatever that might mean) of the divine.  If only we acted like it...

The kingdon of God is within you.

What, King Don? Is that you, Happy Genius?

 (Sigh) Now let's see: how can I lie my way out of this oft-repeated display of type-sloppy: ...uh......

Oh, I dropped my glasses, when the lights went out and my cat jumped on the keyboard and my hipccups came on and...that 'm', sticking again --

Don't worry, be happy, Happy Genius, you are King Don, precisely because you have found the "kingdom within."