The Parable of the Good Samaritan
An expert in the law asks how to inherit eternal life, and Jesus sends him back to the law for the answer. The man names love for God and neighbor, and Jesus tells him to do this and live.
O25ne 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.”
Verse 25An expert in the law asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.
The verse introduces the legal test.
Verse 26Jesus asks what is written in the law and how the man reads it.
The verse sends the question back to Scripture.
Verse 27The man answers with love for God and love for neighbor.
The verse states the law’s double command in the man’s own words.
Verse 28Jesus says the answer is correct and tells him to do this and live.
The verse affirms the answer and its consequence.
Wanting to justify himself, the expert asks who his neighbor is. Jesus answers with a man attacked on the road, stripped and left half dead, then passed by first by a priest and then by a Levite.
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.
Verse 29Wanting to justify himself, the man asks who his neighbor is.
The verse reveals the man’s second question.
Verse 30Jesus tells of a traveler attacked, stripped, beaten, and left half dead on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.
The verse places the wounded man at the center of the story.
Verse 31A priest sees the man and passes by on the other side.
The verse shows religious proximity without help.
Verse 32A Levite also sees the man and passes by on the other side.
The verse repeats the same failure with another figure.
A Samaritan sees the wounded man and acts with compassion, bandaging his wounds, transporting him, and paying for his care. Jesus then presses the question back to the lawyer, who names the merciful one as the neighbor.
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.
Verse 33A Samaritan sees the man and feels compassion.
The verse introduces the unexpected helper.
Verse 34The Samaritan bandages the wounds, pours on oil and wine, places the man on his own animal, and cares for him at an inn.
The verse details the Samaritan’s costly care.
Verse 35The Samaritan leaves money with the innkeeper and promises to repay any extra expense.
The verse extends the mercy beyond the first act of help.
Verse 36Jesus asks which of the three proved to be a neighbor to the wounded man.
The verse shifts the question from identity to action.
Verse 37The expert answers that the one who showed mercy was the neighbor.
The verse closes the scene with mercy as the defining mark.
A quiet block diagram: each row is one authored paragraph movement, with verse numbers kept visible for scanning and deeper work.
- vv. 25-28
An expert in the law asks how to inherit eternal life, and Jesus sends him back to the law for the answer. The man names love for God and neighbor, and Jesus tells him to do this and live.
These verses frame the question with the law’s own language. - vv. 29-32
Wanting to justify himself, the expert asks who his neighbor is. Jesus answers with a man attacked on the road, stripped and left half dead, then passed by first by a priest and then by a Levite.
These verses set up the contrast between need and passing by. - vv. 33-37
A Samaritan sees the wounded man and acts with compassion, bandaging his wounds, transporting him, and paying for his care. Jesus then presses the question back to the lawyer, who names the merciful one as the neighbor.
These verses make mercy visible through action and answer the test with a reversal.