Social laws in the Bible refer to the guidelines and principles that govern how individuals and communities should interact with each other, focusing on justice, fairness, and care for the vulnerable. These laws are found in both the Old and New Testaments, and they address various aspects of social life, including family relationships, property rights, treatment of workers, and care for the poor and marginalised.

In the Old Testament, particularly in books like Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Exodus, social laws were part of the Mosaic Law given to Israel. These laws aimed to promote harmony, justice, and ethical behaviour within the community.

The Bible also emphasised fair treatment of workers, such as in Leviticus 19:13, where employers were told not to withhold wages from workers, and in James 5:4, where the New Testament echoes this principle. Other social laws addressed the importance of justice in the courts, such as not showing favouritism (Leviticus 19:15) and the requirement to love one’s neighbour as oneself (Leviticus 19:18), which Jesus reiterated in the New Testament as the second greatest commandment. These social laws aimed to create a just, compassionate society where individuals cared for one another and lived in mutual respect.