The Good Samaritan

One day a man who knew the law very well stood up to test Jesus. He asked, "Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?" Jesus asked him what the law said. The man answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength, and all your mind — and love your neighbour as yourself." Jesus said, "You have answered right." But the man asked another question: "And who is my neighbour?"

So Jesus told him a story. A man was walking down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Robbers attacked him. They took his clothes, hurt him badly, and left him lying by the road, half dead.

A priest came down that same road. He saw the hurt man — and passed by on the other side. Then a Levite, a helper at the temple, came to the place. He looked at the man — and he passed by on the other side too.

Then a man from Samaria came along. When he saw the hurt man, his heart was full of pity. He went to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds, and bandaged them. He lifted the man onto his own donkey, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he gave the innkeeper two coins and said, "Take care of him. If it costs more, I will pay you back when I come again."

Then Jesus asked, "Which of these three was a neighbour to the man the robbers hurt?" The man answered, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said, "Go, and do the same."