A lawyer once asked Jesus who was his neighbor, and Jesus told him this story:—“Once a man went from Jerusalem to Jericho, and on the road he met a party of thieves. They stripped his clothes from him; they wounded him, and at last went away, leaving him lying half dead. A little while after a certain minister passed that way; he saw the man, but he crossed the street and went on. Then there came a Levite; he stopped and looked at the poor man, and then he too crossed the street and went on his way. Then there came a Samaritan; he stopped and looked at the poor man, and his heart was filled with pity. The man was nothing to him, not even one of his own nation; but he bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them to soothe the pain; then he lifted the man to his own horse and took him to a place where he could be cared for. In the morning before he went on his journey, he took from his pocket some money, and gave it to the host, and asked him to have the sick man taken care of. If he had to spend money, when he came that way again he would pay the bill.”

“Now,” said Jesus, “which of these three people do you think treated the poor man like a neighbor?”

“Why,” said the lawyer, “the one who took care of him.”

“Then,” said Jesus, “see that you follow his example.”