The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ Then^(A) an expert in the law^(B) stood up to test^(C) him, saying, “Teacher,^(D) what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ^(E)

²⁶ “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ He answered, “Love the Lord your God^(F) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,”^(G) and “your neighbor as yourself.”^[a](H)

²⁸ “You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”^(I)

²⁹ But wanting to justify himself,^(J) he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ^(K)

³⁰ Jesus took up the question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan^(L) on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.^{(M) 34} He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil^(N) and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day^[b] he took out two denarii,^[c] gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

³⁷ “The one who showed mercy^(O) to him,” he said.

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”

⁹ The Lord your God will make you prosper abundantly in all the work of your hands,^(A) your offspring,^[a] the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your land. Indeed, the Lord will again delight in your prosperity, as he delighted in that of your ancestors, ¹⁰ when you obey the Lord your God by keeping his commands and statutes that are written in this book of the law and return to him with all your heart and all your soul.

Choose Life

¹¹ “This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach. ¹² It is not in heaven so that you have to ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ ¹³ And it is not across the sea so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ ¹⁴ But the message is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may follow it.^(B)