113. An Answer to One Asking About the Inheritance of Eternal Life; the Parable of the Merciful Samaritan. Lk. 10:25–37

And behold, a lawyer stood up and, testing Him, said: Teacher! What must I do to inherit eternal life? The Lord Jesus said to him: What is written in the Law? How do you read it? He answered and said: “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.” The Lord Jesus said to him: You have answered correctly: do this, and you will live in eternal life.

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to the Lord Jesus: And who is my neighbor?

In reply the Lord Jesus said: A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. And he came to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said to him: Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.

Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers? He said: The one who showed him mercy. Then the Lord Jesus said to him: Go, and you also do likewise.