See also Samaria

The biblical people who lived in Samaria after the northern kingdom of Israel was captured by the Assyrians. The Samaritans were partly Israelite and partly Gentile. Their religion was a mixture of Jewish and pagan beliefs and practices. The parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10: 25-37 shows the hatred that the Jews had developed for the Samaritans because the Samaritans had apostatized from the Israelite religion. The Lord directed the Apostles to teach the gospel to the Samaritans (Acts 1: 6-8). Philip successfully preached the gospel of Christ to the people of Samaria and performed many miracles among them (Acts 8: 5-39).