Samaria
Samaria, also known as the Shomron (Hebrew: שֹ××ְר×Ö¹× ) refers to the region between Galilee and Judea. At the time of Jesus, Samaria was the home of a few million Samaritans. The family of Jesus would have traveled through Samaria in their journey from Nazareth, to the north, to Jesus's birthplace in Bethlehem, to the south. Jesus and his disciples also had to cross through Samaria to travel from Galilee to Jerusalem.
Jesus referred to Samaria in a way equal to Judea in Jesus's promise of the Holy Spirit shortly before his Ascension, as recounted in Acts 1:8Â :
| â | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. | â |
The name is derived from the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Israel, the city of Samaria, which was located near the center of modern Samaria. It is also referred to as the West Bank.