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Luke 10 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” ²⁷ And he answered, “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸ And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

²⁹ But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. ³² So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. ³⁴ He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.³⁵ And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’³⁶ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” ³⁷ He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

REFLECTION:

1. The legal expert asked a good question. Just who is it we are to love as ourselves? To answer, Jesus told of a man who was beaten and robbed. Two fellow Jews, a priest and a Levite, saw him lying there, and left him. The Samaritan, on the other hand, “when he saw him, he had compassion”. He helped him, and even paid for his care while he recovered.
2. If you were walking by when this story happened, which one would your reaction most likely be, the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan? Why?
3. Who has been a Good Samaritan in your life? What was the situation?  How did that person help you?  What impact this has on you?
4. Listen to Jesus’ calling to you, “go and do likewise.” To whom do you need to be a Good Samaritan this week?  Write down his/her name and needs.  Pray for this person.  Plan a practical way to offer needed help.  Decide on the date and write down specific things you will do for him/her.  Make plan to accomplish it.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for teaching me how to love through today’s scriptures. I know that to love my neighbor as myself is not an empty phrase, but Your command to me, which I want to practice in my daily life. My Lord, I sometimes feel that I lack the ability to love people, especially the ability to love people when I have to pay a cost, and I understand that this is because my life is not fully mature. Please continue to walk with me, accompany me to grow, and make me more and more capable of loving people. I also especially thank You for placing “Good Samaritans” in my life to inspire me, help me, and make me feel Your love in them. Please let me be such a person too, to pass on Your love to those around me who need help. Amen!

HYMN:

Lifesong – youtu.be/jLroNUqADz4