Leader Guide
Role Play
- Optional: Bible time costumes such as bathrobes and towels for headdresses; plus props and accessories such as gauze, bandages, coins, blankets, plastic bottles, etc.
- Parable Play Script
- Eight children (who do not need to be good readers) to act out the parts of the priest, Levite, Samaritan, Jewish man, innkeeper, and three robbers
- Narrator: preferably an older child who reads with expression and a strong voice
- Sixth grade helper or adult volunteer to assist actors as needed
Make copies of the Parable Play Script for the narrator, teacher and helpers.
In this activity, some of you will act out Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. This is called a role play. It is fun and easy because you don’t have to study any lines. You just do whatever the narrator says! Sometimes, I will ask the rest of you in the audience “What happens next?” That way everyone can participate!
Choose children to act out the various roles of the parable. The sixth grade helper or another leader can help them select simple costumes and props, and may give the actors cues during the skit. Make sure the “robbers” only pretend to attack the traveler. The teacher and narrator stand on the side of “the stage.” Feel free to add extra instructions to the actors to make the skit more detailed.
Parable Script
Narrator: A Jewish man is traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. It’s a very steep and dangerous road. The Jewish man slowly walks across stage and stops midway.
Teacher: What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator: Suddenly some robbers appear! They take the man’s possessions and leave him injured beside the road. The man falls to the ground, nearly dead. The robbers run away—very fast. The robbers pretend to rob the traveler, who then falls to the ground.
Teacher: What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator: A priest comes walking along on the same road and sees the injured man. Surely he will stop to help his fellow citizen! I think I hear the traveler groaning in pain! The priest walks to the man and thenslows near him. Injured man groans in pain.
Teacher: Does the priest help him? What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator: Can you believe it; the priest doesn’t stop! He even crosses to the other side of the road, leaving the injured man behind! The priest walks hurriedly away.
Teacher: What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator:Then a Levite, a Temple assistant, comes walking by. Finally, someone will help the injured man! The Levite walks slowly to stand near the injured man and looks at him.
Teacher: Does the Levite help him? What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator: Oh no; not again! The Levite walks away and leaves the poor traveler suffering on the side of the road! I think I hear him groaning again. The Levite walks hurriedly away, and the traveler groans.
Teacher: What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator: Wait! Here comes another man—on a donkey! But wait, he is a Samaritan! Samaritans and Jews hate each other! Samaritan pretends to ride a donkey, stops, and studies the man.
Teacher: Does the Samaritan help him? What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator: Oh my! I can’t believe my eyes! The Samaritan man gets off his donkey and kneels down to help the injured man. He pours oil and wine on his wounds and bandages them. The Samaritan man kneels down and cares for the injured man.
Teacher: Does the Samaritan man leave the man behind? Hasn’t he done more than enough already? What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator: The Samaritan isn’t done yet! He helps the injured man onto his donkey and takes him to an inn to rest and heal. The Samaritan helps the man onto the donkey and walks along with him a short distance, helps him down and lays the man gently on the floor, as in a bed.
Teacher: What happens next? Audience answers.
Narrator: The next day, the Samaritan man gives the innkeeper two coins to pay for the man’s expenses. Then he promises to come back and pay for additional costs if needed. The Samaritan man hands the innkeeper money, then rides away.
Narrator:The end!
Teacher: Now, is the story really over for us today? What does Jesus want us to do? Show mercy to others! Love our neighbors.