Guidelines for Christian Living

⁹ Do not just pretend to love others. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another with brotherly love. Think of others as deserving more honor than yourselves. ¹¹ Do not be lagging behind in zeal, but be fervent in spirit, as you continue to serve the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope. Endure trials patiently. Persist in prayer. ¹³ Share with the saints who are in need. Be quick to welcome strangers as guests.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who are rejoicing; weep with those who are weeping. ¹⁶ Have the same respect for one another. Do not be arrogant, but associate with the humble. Do not think too highly of yourselves.

¹⁷ Do not pay anyone back evil for evil. Focus on those things that everyone considers noble. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, maintain peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,”^[a] says the Lord. ²⁰ But:

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Good Samaritan

²⁵ Just then, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

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

²⁷ He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind;^[a] and, love your neighbor as yourself.”^[b]

²⁸ He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell among robbers who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ It just so happened that a priest was going down that way. But when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² In the same way, a Levite also happened to go there, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³³ A Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where the man was. When he saw him, he felt sorry for the man. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He put him on his own animal, took him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day, when he left, he took out two denarii,^[c] gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. Whatever extra you spend, I will repay you when I return.’ ³⁶ Which of these three do you think acted like a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?”

³⁷ “The one who showed mercy to him,” he replied.

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”