The verse anchor
"Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? … Go, and do thou likewise."
Luke 10:36-37 · King James Bible
The story
A lawyer once asked Jesus a question. "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said, "What is written in the law?" The lawyer answered, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart… and thy neighbour as thyself." Jesus said, "Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live."
But the lawyer wanted to make himself look good. He asked, "And who is my neighbour?" So Jesus told him a story.
"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead."
The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was long and dangerous. The man lay there in the dust, bleeding, unable to move.
"And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side." The priest was a holy man. He worked in the temple. But he did not stop.
"And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side." The Levite also served in the temple. He looked. He did not stop.
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him." — Now, the Samaritans and the Jews did not get along. This Samaritan had every reason not to stop.
But he did stop. He went to the wounded man. He poured oil and wine on his wounds and bound them up. He set the man on his own donkey. He walked beside him all the way to the nearest inn. He paid the innkeeper and said, "Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee."
Then Jesus asked the lawyer: "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?"
The lawyer answered, "He that shewed mercy on him." And Jesus said, "Go, and do thou likewise."
One thing we learn
Our neighbour is not just the person next door. Our neighbour is the person God puts in our path who needs help. Jesus says: stop. Look. Have mercy. Do what you can. That is what it means to love God.
Memory verse
"Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? … Go, and do thou likewise."
Luke 10:36-37 · KJV
Say it three times before bed. In seven days you will know it forever.
A prayer
Lord Jesus, help me not to pass by on the other side.
Give me eyes that see, hands that help,
and a heart of mercy.
Amen.
Beneath the story · for grown-ups
To read this whole passage in the King James Bible with your child, or to walk further with the household: