Place · Bible dictionary
Samaria
The central region of Israel between Galilee and Judea, despised by Jewish neighbors — yet a site of Jesus' grace and the early church's gospel mission.
Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom after Israel's split. After exile its people became a mixed population the Jews regarded as religiously compromised.
Jesus broke convention by speaking with a Samaritan woman at the well (John 4) and made a Samaritan the hero of a parable on neighbor-love.
In Acts 8 the gospel reached Samaria through Philip — fulfilling Jesus' Acts 1:8 commission to go to "Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria."
Original BibleDawn entry. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.