Bible Verses About The Good Samaritan. Perhaps the most important lesson in the Bible on the nature of Christian neighborliness and practical love is found in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which is found in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus told this story in direct response to a lawyer’s query, “Who is my neighbor?” A radical call for active compassion replaces the constrictive, tribal conceptions of community and morality in the verses describing the narrative.
Because he provided unselfish, useful, and expensive assistance to a stranger—even an enemy—who was in dire need, the Samaritan—a member of a community hated by the Jewish audience—becomes the hero. This narrative radically reinterprets our moral duties, requiring us to view every individual in need—regardless of their relationship or background—as our
The Parable of the Good Samaritan serves a crucial purpose by sharply criticizing cultural bias and religious hypocrisy. With justifications based on ceremonial purity and social isolation, Jesus purposefully cast a priest and a Levite—figures devoted to religious law and temple service—as the ones who went past the wounded man. The Samaritans’ sincere, expensive intervention stands in stark contrast to their inaction.
The lines describing their deeds push us to put active love and mercy ahead of strict rituals and self-preservation. The narrative compels the listener to consider the real meaning of faith, which is found in acts of kindness that transcend social and cultural boundaries rather than in religious titles or accurate theory.
The verses about the Good Samaritan convey a clear invitation to transformative action that goes beyond simply defining neighborliness. The Samaritan’s assistance was not passive; he bandaged the man’s wounds, drove him to an inn, paid for his medical care, and pledged to pay for any additional costs when he returned.
This degree of dedication exemplifies the essence of expensive love, which necessitates time, money, and personal inconvenience. Jesus gives the order, “Go and do likewise,” at the end of the tale, transforming the theological query into a useful daily task. The scriptural emphasis is unambiguous: genuine discipleship is determined by our readiness to enter the messy realm of human suffering and provide persistent, unwavering support to those who are suffering.
40 Inspiring Bible Verses About The Good Samaritan (2025)
1. Luke 10:25
“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ”
This opening verse establishes the context for the parable: the question of eternal life. The lawyer’s challenge sets the stage, revealing that the answer to inheriting eternal life is directly linked to the practical, visible demonstration of love.
2. Luke 10:27
“He 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.” ’ ”
This verse provides the core biblical mandate for love, which the parable illustrates. By stating the two greatest commandments, the lawyer acknowledges the ethical standard that Jesus uses as the measure of true righteousness.
3. Luke 10:29
“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ ”
This pivotal question, designed to limit the scope of moral duty, prompts the entire parable. The lawyer sought to narrow the definition of “neighbor” to justify his own lack of compassion, leading to Jesus’ radical redefinition.
4. Luke 10:30
“In reply Jesus said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers, who stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.’ ”
This verse sets the scene of suffering and vulnerability. The injured man represents any individual in dire need, emphasizing that suffering is universal and transcends social identity.
5. Luke 10:31
“A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.”
The priest’s action illustrates the failure of ritualism over compassion. His choice to “pass by on the other side” suggests a prioritizing of self-preservation or ritual purity over the immediate, life-saving needs of his neighbor.
6. Luke 10:32
“So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.”
The Levite’s similar failure reinforces the critique of religious service without mercy. As another figure associated with temple worship, his inaction highlights that religious knowledge and vocation do not guarantee genuine humanitarian love.
7. Luke 10:33
“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.”
The Samaritan’s arrival is the turning point that introduces radical compassion. His identity, a historical enemy of the Jews, is deliberately chosen by Jesus to redefine “neighbor” as the one who acts with mercy, irrespective of race or creed.
8. Luke 10:34
“He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.”
This verse details the costly, immediate action of the Samaritan’s love. The care involves physical risk, personal expense (oil and wine), and inconvenience (using his own animal), demonstrating active, sacrificial intervention.
9. Luke 10:35
“The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ ”
This action proves the commitment and sustainability of the Samaritans’ aid. By covering future costs and promising to check back, the Samaritan moves beyond temporary relief to provide genuine, long-term care and financial provision.
10. Luke 10:36
“ ‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ ”
Jesus redirects the original question, shifting the focus from identity to action. He forces the lawyer to identify the neighbor not by who he is (a Jew) but by what he did (showed mercy), thus answering the entire legal and moral dilemma.
11. Luke 10:37
“The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’ ”
This concluding command is Jesus’ mandate for active, ongoing ministry of mercy. It transforms the theological discussion into an ethical imperative, charging the listener to emulate the Samaritan’s actions in their own life.
12. James 2:15-16
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”
This passage underscores the futility of passive compassion. It directly mirrors the failure of the priest and Levite, asserting that verbal well-wishes without tangible, practical aid (“clothes and daily food”) are worthless.
13. Proverbs 14:31
“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
This proverb links treatment of the needy directly to honor for God. It establishes that acts of kindness, like those of the Samaritan, honor the Creator, while neglecting or harming the vulnerable shows contempt for His creation.
14. Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ”
Jesus identifies acts of mercy with service to Himself. This powerful teaching reveals that the recipient of compassion (the injured man) is a stand-in for Christ, giving the Samaritan’s action eternal significance.
15. Micah 6:8
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
This central Old Testament verse defines the required elements of righteous living. “Loving mercy” is the exact virtue displayed by the Samaritan, showing that active compassion is a core divine requirement.
16. 1 John 3:17-18
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
This New Testament passage challenges inconsistent love based on material security. It asserts that true love, like the Samaritan’s, must be demonstrated through “actions and in truth” and demands the willingness to share resources.
17. Luke 6:36
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
This simple command urges believers to emulate God’s defining attribute: mercy. The Samaritan’s pity (mercy) on the injured man is the very action that fulfills this core Christian mandate.
18. Romans 12:20
“On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ ”
This instruction promotes radical kindness toward enemies. The Samaritan’s action toward the Jew, a member of a hostile group, perfectly models this command to overcome animosity with tangible acts of generosity.
19. Proverbs 28:27
“Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many a curse.”
This proverb connects generosity with divine blessing. The Samaritan’s willingness to spend money on the stranger aligns with this promise, contrasting sharply with those who “close their eyes” to need (the priest and Levite).
20. Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
One of the Beatitudes, this verse promises a blessed reward for active compassion. The Samaritan is the biblical embodiment of the merciful person, assuring listeners that their deeds of mercy will receive grace in return.
21. Galatians 6:10
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
This verse provides a broad scope for doing good, prioritizing fellow believers but explicitly extending the duty to “all people.” The Samaritan’s action fulfills the all people mandate, showing that opportunities for kindness must be seized universally.
22. Proverbs 3:27
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”
This proverb addresses the sin of omission when aid is possible. The priest and the Levite were in a position of power to act but failed. The Samaritan fulfilled this duty by using his available resources and ability.
23. Matthew 9:13
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus quotes Hosea to establish the supremacy of mercy over religious ritual. This directly critiques the priest and Levite, confirming that God values compassionate action (mercy) more than adherence to formal religious duties (sacrifice).
24. Luke 14:12-14
“When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid… when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.”
This teaching encourages selfless, non-reciprocal generosity. It mirrors the Samaritans’ actions, who helped someone completely unable to repay them, ensuring that the act of giving leads to a reward from God, not man.
25. Hebrews 13:16
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
This verse defines sharing and doing good as acceptable sacrifices to God. The Samaritan’s use of oil, wine, and money to share his resources exemplifies the kind of practical sacrifice that replaces and pleases God more than animal offerings.
26. Acts 10:38
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
This verse highlights Christ’s active ministry of doing good and healing. The Samaritan’s compassionate action of binding wounds and restoring health is a microcosm of the larger, healing mission of Jesus.
27. Isaiah 58:7
“Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
This prophetic challenge defines true fasting as acts of social justice and mercy. It lists tangible actions—feeding, sheltering, clothing—that mirror the practical and urgent physical aid provided by the Samaritan.
28. Romans 13:8
“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”
This command frames love as a continuous, outstanding moral obligation. The Samaritan demonstrates that this “debt to love” is fulfilled through practical action, extending beyond contractual obligation to boundless mercy.
29. James 1:27
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
This verse defines pure, authentic faith. It declares that genuine religion is demonstrated by actively caring for the most vulnerable (“orphans and widows”), an act of mercy consistent with the Samaritan’s care for the helpless man.
30. Zechariah 7:9-10
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ ”
This prophetic call requires mercy and compassion as integral to justice. It provides the ethical framework that the Samaritan operates within, showing mercy to a “foreigner” (the Jew) despite historical animosity.
31. Luke 6:32-33
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.”
Jesus demands transcendent love that exceeds common human reciprocity. The Samaritan’s kindness to a traditional enemy fulfills this higher standard, proving that his actions were rooted in divine principle, not expected repayment.
32. Proverbs 19:17
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
This proverb offers an incentive for selfless aid: the generous person is lending directly to God. The Samaritan’s expenditure of two denarii and his promise to pay more is cast as an investment that guarantees a divine reward.
33. 2 Corinthians 9:7
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
The Samaritan’s actions were clearly cheerful and intentional giving. This verse establishes the spiritual attitude behind the act of generosity, confirming that the virtue lies in the heart’s willingness, not just the action itself.
34. Romans 15:2
“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”
This verse instructs believers to act for the edification and good of their neighbor. The Samaritan’s effort was entirely focused on the man’s physical and financial “good,” building him up from his broken state.
35. Colossians 3:12
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
This command to “clothe yourselves with compassion and kindness” lists the very virtues the Samaritan demonstrated. These are the spiritual garments required for true neighborly action.
36. 1 Peter 4:8
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
This verse emphasizes the priority of profound love. The deep love shown by the Samaritan overrides the historical and social “sins” or animosity between their two groups.
37. Matthew 7:12
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
The Golden Rule perfectly encapsulates the moral logic of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan treated the injured man exactly as he himself would have wished to be treated if he were lying beaten in the ditch.
38. Isaiah 1:17
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
This prophetic command for active social defense and justice aligns the Samaritan’s emergency intervention with God’s will. The Samaritan defended and aided the one who was brutally oppressed.
39. John 13:35
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Jesus asserts that visible love is the defining mark of discipleship. The Samaritan’s action provides the ultimate example of the type of visible, selfless love that identifies God’s true followers.
40. Romans 2:4
“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”
This final verse reminds us that God’s kindness is the model for human compassion. The Samaritan’s kind intervention should prompt us to reflect on the transformative kindness that God has shown to us, his own undeserving neighbors.
Conclusion
A compelling and unavoidable conclusion to the topic of practical discipleship is provided by the verses describing the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The narrative forbids abstraction and requires believers to define their neighbor by the basic truth of human need rather than by a common community or belief. The bar for expensive and successful love is set by the Samaritan’s intentional acts, which include financial outlay, personal risk, and ongoing follow-up care. This biblical principle forces us to reject the priest’s and Levite’s inactivity, coming to the conclusion that our genuine spiritual well-being is determined by our readiness to enter the pit of human misery and provide transforming, unconditional assistance to people that society may ignore or despise.
In the end, the lesson to be learned from the Good Samaritan is that mercy must be shown right away. By giving the order, “Go and do likewise,” Jesus incorporates this ethic into each follower’s fundamental personality. The words that center on this narrative reinforce that dismantling walls of discrimination and exercising selfless care are crucial signs of a heart that understands God, not optional actions of supererogation. We are asked to exemplify the unending compassion of Christ, ensuring that our faith is clearly shown by deeds of responsibility and kindness given to everyone we come into contact with throughout life.
