The Good Samaritan is a figure in a well-known parable told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verses 25-37. In the story, a man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and is attacked by robbers, who beat him and leave him half-dead. Several people pass by him without offering help: a priest and a Levite, who both avoid the injured man.

However, a Samaritan, who would have been considered an outsider and enemy to the Jewish people at the time, sees the man and is moved with compassion. He tends to the man’s wounds, takes him to an inn, and pays for his care. Jesus uses this story to teach the importance of showing compassion and kindness, regardless of cultural or religious differences.

The term “Good Samaritan” has since come to symbolize anyone who helps others in need, especially those from different backgrounds or groups.