Who Is My Neighbor?

“A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.”

A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jersualem to Gaza. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A rabbi happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Jewish man came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Hamas militant who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.

A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Dublin to Belfast. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Catholic came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Unionist who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.

A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Sarajevo to Tirane. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A Kosovar happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Croat came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Serbian nationalist who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.

A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Damascus to London. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A German happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise an Englishman came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Greek who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.

A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Honduras to Houston. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. An Arizonan happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Texan came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a drug mule who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.

“Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

“The one who treated him with mercy.”

“Go and do likewise.”