25. One day an authority on the law stood up to put Jesus to the test. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to receive eternal life?"
26. "What is written in the Law?" Jesus replied. "How do you understand it?"
27. He answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.' (Deuteronomy 6:5) And, 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' " (Leviticus 19:18)
28. "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do that, and you will live."
29. But the man wanted to make himself look good. So he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30. Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Robbers attacked him. They stripped off his clothes and beat him. Then they went away, leaving him almost dead.
31. A priest happened to be going down that same road. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.