Parable - The Good Samaritan

New King James Version, ST. LUKE 10:30-36:

A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. ³³ But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. ³⁴ So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ ³⁶ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

 

NOTES

 

1. Why didn't the priest or Levite help the wounded victim?

 

Well, it seems they were afraid he was already dead, and it was taboo to touch a dead person. People thought it would make you dirty, both physically and spiritually.

 

2. Why did Jesus choose a Samaritan as the hero of this story?

 

In Jesus' time, Samaritans were enemies of the Jews. Samaritans were a tribe of Israelites that were considered traitors because, when Greece invaded, they worshiped the Greek governor, Antiochus, as a god, and dedicated their temple to Zeus. In Jesus' time, the Samaritans had recently desecrated (znesvätili) a Jewish temple with human bones. Jesus took a risk in making the hero a Samaritan, because he wanted to show that even your enemies can be good people - that you should judge someone by his character, not his country, ethnicity, religion, or skin colour.

 

Standard King James Version, ST. LUKE 10:30-36:

A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his raiment and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

            And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

            And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

            But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him; and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

            And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

            Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?

 

Tyndale Bible (1522-1536):

 

30 Iesus answered and sayde: A certayne ma descended fro Hierusalem into Hierico and fell in to the hondes of theves which robbed him of his raymet and wounded him and departed levynge him halfe deed. 31 And by chaunce ther came a certayne preste that same waye and when he sawe him he passed by. 32 And lykewyse a Levite when he was come nye to the place wet and loked on him and passed by. 33 Then a certayne Samaritane as he iornyed came nye vnto him and when he sawe him had compassion on him 34 and went to and bounde vp his woundes and poured in oyle and wyne and put him on his awne beaste and brought him to a comen ynne and made provision for him. 35 And on the morowe when he departed he toke out two pece and gave them to the host and sayde vnto him. Take cure of him and whatsoever thou spedest moare when I come agayne I will recompence the. 36 Which now of these thre thynkest thou was neighbour vnto him yt fell into ye theves hondes?

Wycliffe Bible (1382-1395):

30 And Jhesu biheld, and seide, A man cam doun fro Jerusalem in to Jerico, and fel among theues, and thei robbiden hym, and woundiden hym, and wente awei, and leften the man half alyue. 31 And it bifel, that a prest cam doun the same weie, and passide forth, whanne he hadde seyn hym. 32 Also a dekene, whanne he was bisidis the place, and saiy him, passide forth. 33 But a Samaritan, goynge the weie, cam bisidis hym; and he siy hym, and hadde reuthe on hym; 34 and cam to hym, and boond togidir hise woundis, and helde in oyle and wynne; and leide hym on his beest, and ledde in to an ostrie, and dide the cure of hym. 35 And another dai he brouyte forth twey pans, and yaf to the ostiler, and seide, Haue the cure of hym; and what euer thou schalt yyue ouer, Y schal yelde to thee, whanne Y come ayen. 36 Who of these thre, semeth to thee, was neiybore to hym, that fel among theues?