Luke 10:25-37
The Neighbor Who Showed Mercy
Read the passage
25One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”
27He 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.’”
28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”
29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.
31Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.
33But a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’
36Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37“The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
An expert in the law stands up to test Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks what is written in the law. The expert answers with love for God and love for one's neighbor, and Jesus tells him he has answered correctly.
Wanting to justify himself, the expert asks who his neighbor is. Jesus tells of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho who is attacked, stripped, beaten, and left half dead.
A priest sees him and passes by. A Levite also sees him and passes by. But a Samaritan comes to where he is, has compassion, binds his wounds, pours on oil and wine, places him on his animal, brings him to an inn, and pays for his care.
Jesus asks which of the three became a neighbor. The expert says the one who showed mercy. Jesus tells him to go and do likewise. The command turns neighbor from a category we define into a mercy we practice.
Questions
1 What does the expert say the law requires?
AnswerHe says to love the Lord with all one's heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love one's neighbor as oneself.
2 What happens to the traveler?
AnswerRobbers strip, beat, and leave him half dead on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.
3 How does the Samaritan help?
AnswerHe treats the wounds, transports the man to an inn, cares for him, and pays for further care.
4 What question does Jesus leave with the expert?
AnswerHe asks which person became a neighbor. The answer is the one who showed mercy, and Jesus says to do the same.
What This Means for Us
The religious men see the wounded traveler but keep their distance. The Samaritan crosses the boundary that prejudice and social hostility would have made decisive.
Mercy is costly and practical, but it should still be wise. Families can ask who is in need nearby, what safe help is possible, and whether their assumptions about “people like us” are blocking compassion.
Prayer
Merciful God, make us neighbors to people who need help, including people our fears or prejudices keep distant. Give us compassion with wisdom, courage to act, and generosity that follows through. Amen.