And a second is like it is more explicit in Good News Translation: “The second most important commandment is like it.” The Greek phrase is like it may mean either “similar but not of equal value” or “similar and of equal value.” The context suggests the second of these interpretations, which is well represented by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “The second is equally important.” Barclay has “And there is a second one like it.”

You shall love your neighbor as yourself comes from the Septuagint of Leviticus 19.18, where neighbor is limited to fellow Israelites and foreigners who live among the Israelites. Here, however, the reference is enlarged to include anyone with whom one’s life comes into contact. The verse does not contain two commands (“love yourself” and “love your neighbor as much as you love yourself”). Rather, it contains an assumption (“you do love yourself”) followed by a command (“love your neighbor as much as you love yourself”). See also the comments at 19.19, where the command is first mentioned.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .