Bible Verse Lookup

“Who is my neighbor?” In traditional Judaism, a neighbor was a fellow Israelite—someone from the same people—while others were not included. However, even within Judaism, that neighbor had to meet a basic requirement: he had to be legally clean, as that would prevent infection or contamination. The Samaritan who approaches the wounded man—the typical example of a hated, rejected person who makes others uncomfortable just by being there—serves as a model for what it means to be a neighbor in Jesus’ teaching. The Samaritan broke the Law and could have been accused by the pious expert in the Law. Still, his actions go far beyond the Law itself, for he acted with love, compassion, generosity, selflessness, and, most importantly, mercy.