The Good Samaritan is one of the best-known parables told by Jesus. It appears in the Gospel of Luke and teaches an important lesson about compassion, mercy, and loving other people. Through a simple but powerful story, Jesus explains that a true neighbor is someone who helps another person in need, even when social, religious, or cultural differences might normally keep them apart.
The parable begins when an expert in the law asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus directs him toward the commandments to love God and to love his neighbor as himself. The man then asks, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers by telling the story of a traveler who was going from Jerusalem to Jericho.
Along the road, robbers attacked the traveler, took his possessions, beat him, and left him badly injured. A priest later passed along the same road but did not stop. A Levite also saw the wounded man and continued on his journey. Both men belonged to respected religious groups, yet neither offered assistance.
Then a Samaritan arrived. At that time, Jews and Samaritans often viewed each other with suspicion and hostility. Jesus’ listeners may therefore have been surprised that the Samaritan became the compassionate person in the story. He treated the man’s wounds with oil and wine, placed him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn.
The Samaritan cared for the injured traveler during the night. Before leaving, he gave money to the innkeeper and promised to repay any additional expenses. His kindness involved time, effort, personal risk, and financial generosity. He did not ask about the traveler’s identity before deciding to help him.
At the end of the parable, Jesus asks which of the three men acted as a neighbor. The expert answers that it was the one who showed mercy. Jesus then tells him to go and do the same. The message is clear: love should be demonstrated through practical action, not only through words or religious knowledge.
By solving The Good Samaritan word search puzzle, readers can revisit the road to Jericho, the injured traveler, the innkeeper, and the Samaritan’s compassionate actions. The activity also highlights the parable’s lasting lessons about mercy, generosity, personal responsibility, and caring for people in need.
Jesus Christ | Prodigal Son | Sermon on the Mount | New Testament
ALMS, BANDAGED, BEATEN, CHARITY, COINS, COMPASSION, DANGEROUS, DONKEY, GOODWILL, GRATEFUL, HEALED, INNKEEPER, JERUSALEM, JERICHO, KINDNESS, LEVITE, LOVE, MERCY, NEIGHBOR, OIL, PARABLE, PRIEST, ROBBERS, SAMARITAN
ALMS – Voluntary giving of money, food, or goods to help those in poverty. In the parable, the Samaritan’s generous act reflects the spirit of almsgiving by caring for a stranger in need.
BANDAGED – The Samaritan carefully wrapped and covered the wounded man’s injuries to stop bleeding and prevent infection, showing practical, hands-on compassion rather than simply feeling sympathy and walking away.
BEATEN – The traveler was violently attacked by robbers who struck him repeatedly, leaving him seriously injured, bleeding, and helpless on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho, unable to save himself.
CHARITY – A selfless, unconditional love and generosity toward others in need. The Samaritan demonstrated true charity by spending his own time and money on a stranger without expecting anything in return.
COINS – The Samaritan gave two silver coins to the innkeeper to pay for the wounded man’s care and lodging, promising to cover any additional expenses upon his return, showing extraordinary financial generosity.
COMPASSION – A deep feeling of sympathy and concern that moves a person to act. Unlike the priest and Levite, the Samaritan felt genuine compassion when he saw the injured man and immediately helped.
DANGEROUS – The road between Jerusalem and Jericho was notorious for being unsafe, winding through rocky desert terrain where bandits frequently attacked and robbed travelers, making it one of the most feared routes.
DONKEY – The Samaritan used his own donkey to carry the wounded man to the nearest inn, ensuring the injured traveler would not have to walk while weak and in pain from his wounds.
GOODWILL – A friendly and helpful attitude toward others. The Samaritan’s actions embody goodwill in its purest form, as he extended kindness to someone from a different background without hesitation or prejudice.
GRATEFUL – The rescued man would certainly have felt deeply thankful toward the Samaritan who saved his life. Gratitude is a natural response to receiving unexpected mercy and generous care from a compassionate stranger.
HEALED – The wounded traveler recovered from his injuries thanks to the Samaritan’s treatment with oil and wine, proper bandaging, rest at the inn, and the financial provision made for his ongoing medical care.
INNKEEPER – The person who managed the roadside lodging where the Samaritan brought the injured man. The Samaritan entrusted the innkeeper with the wounded traveler’s care, paying him and promising to return and settle any extra costs.
JERUSALEM – The holy city and starting point of the traveler’s journey. Jerusalem was a major religious and cultural center, making it significant that both a priest and a Levite began their journey there before abandoning the wounded man.
JERICHO – An ancient city located in the Jordan Valley, and the destination of the traveler in the parable. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho descended steeply through wilderness, making it a dangerous and isolated route for travelers.
KINDNESS – The quality of being warm, caring, and considerate toward others. The Samaritan’s kindness was extraordinary because it crossed cultural and ethnic boundaries, showing that true kindness has no limits or conditions attached.
LEVITE – A member of the Israelite tribe of Levi, who assisted priests in temple worship. In the parable, the Levite saw the wounded man but chose to pass by on the other side, ignoring his desperate need.
LOVE – The central message of the parable. Jesus used the story to illustrate that love for one’s neighbor means actively helping anyone in need, regardless of their nationality, religion, or social background.
MERCY – Compassionate treatment shown toward someone in distress. Jesus concluded the parable by asking who showed mercy, and the answer pointed clearly to the Samaritan, who responded with kindness rather than indifference or fear.
NEIGHBOR – A key concept in the parable. Jesus redefined “neighbor” not as someone who lives nearby or shares your background, but as anyone who shows mercy and practical love to another person in need.
OIL – Olive oil was used by the Samaritan as a soothing, healing agent on the wounded man’s injuries. In biblical times, oil was a common remedy for wounds, valued for its ability to soften and protect damaged skin.
PARABLE – A short, simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual truth. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to a question about eternal life, teaching his audience about love and true neighborliness.
PRIEST – A religious leader who performed sacred duties in the Jerusalem Temple. Ironically, the priest in the parable failed to help the wounded man, possibly fearing ritual impurity, and chose to walk past on the other side.
ROBBERS – A group of violent thieves who attacked the traveler on the Jericho road, stripping him of his clothing and possessions, beating him severely, and leaving him half dead with no means of escape or survival.
SAMARITAN – A person from the region of Samaria, traditionally despised by the Jewish people. In the parable, a Samaritan becomes the unlikely hero, demonstrating that true compassion and love for others transcends ethnic and cultural divisions.
ALMS, BANDAGED, BEATEN, CHARITY, COINS, COMPASSION, DANGEROUS, DONKEY, GOODWILL, GRATEFUL, HEALED, INNKEEPER, JERUSALEM, JERICHO, KINDNESS, LEVITE, LOVE, MERCY, NEIGHBOR, OIL, PARABLE, PRIEST, ROBBERS, SAMARITAN
