Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Jesus shows the relevance of the Law to actual living

²⁵ Then one of the experts in the Law stood up to test him and said, “Master, what must I do to be sure of eternal life?”

²⁶ “What does the Law say and what has your reading taught you?” said Jesus.

²⁷ “The Law says, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind’, and ‘your neighbour as yourself’,” he replied.

²⁸ “Quite right,” said Jesus. “Do that and you will live.”

²⁹ But the man, wanting to justify himself, continued, “But who is my ‘neighbour’?”

^30-36 And Jesus gave him the following reply: “A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell into the hands of bandits who stripped off his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead. It so happened that a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. A Levite also came on the scene and when he saw him, he too passed by on the other side. But then a Samaritan traveller came along to the place where the man was lying, and at the sight of him he was touched with pity. He went across to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own mule, brought him to an inn and did what he could for him. Next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the inn-keeper with the words, ‘Look after him, will you? I will pay you back whatever more you spend, when I come through here on my return.’ Which of these three seems to you to have been a neighbour to the bandits’ victim?”

³⁷ “The man who gave him practical sympathy,” he replied. “Then you go and give the same,” returned Jesus.