Jesus Sends Out the 72

1After this the Lord chose another 7210.1 72; some manuscripts have seventy. men and sent them out two by two, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself was about to go. 210.2: Mt 9.37–38He said to them, “There is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest. 310.3: Mt 10.16Go! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 410.4–11: Mt 10.7–14; Mk 6.8–11; Lk 9.3–5Don't take a purse or a beggar's bag or shoes; don't stop to greet anyone on the road. 5Whenever you go into a house, first say, ‘Peace be with this house.’ 6If a peace-loving person lives there, let your greeting of peace remain on him; if not, take back your greeting of peace. 710.7: 1 Cor 9.14; 1 Tim 5.18Stay in that same house, eating and drinking whatever they offer you, for workers should be given their pay. Don't move round from one house to another. 8Whenever you go into a town and are made welcome, eat what is set before you, 9heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near you.’ 1010.10–11: Acts 13.51But whenever you go into a town and are not welcomed, go out in the streets and say, 11‘Even the dust from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the Kingdom of God has come near you!’ 1210.12: Gen 19.24–28; Mt 11.24; 10.15I assure you that on Judgement Day God will show more mercy to Sodom than to that town!

The Unbelieving Towns

(Mt 11.20–24)

1310.13: Is 23.1–18; Ezek 26.1—28.26; Joel 3.4–8; Amos 1.9–10; Zech 9.2–4“How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible for you too, Bethsaida! If the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would long ago have sat down, put on sackcloth, and sprinkled ashes on themselves, to show that they had turned from their sins! 14God will show more mercy on Judgement Day to Tyre and Sidon than to you. 1510.15: Is 14.13–15And as for you, Capernaum! Did you want to lift yourself up to heaven? You will be thrown down to hell!”

1610.16: Mt 10.40; Mk 9.37; Lk 9.48; Jn 13.20Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

The Return of the 72

17The 7210.17 72; some manuscripts have seventy (see verse 1). men came back in great joy. “Lord,” they said, “even the demons obeyed us when we gave them a command in your name!”

18Jesus answered them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 1910.19: Ps 91.13Listen! I have given you authority, so that you can walk on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the Enemy, and nothing will hurt you. 20But don't be glad because the evil spirits obey you; rather be glad because your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus Rejoices

(Mt 11.25–27; 13.16–17)

21At that time Jesus was filled with joy by the Holy Spirit10.21 by the Holy Spirit; some manuscripts have by the Spirit; others have in his Spirit. and said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. Yes, Father, this was how you wanted it to happen.

2210.22: Jn 3.35; 10.15“My Father has given me all things. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

23Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said to them privately, “How fortunate you are to see the things you see! 24I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

2510.25–28: Mt 22.35–40; Mk 12.28–34A teacher of the Law came up and tried to trap Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”

26Jesus answered him, “What do the Scriptures say? How do you interpret them?”

2710.27: Lev 19.18; Deut 6.5The man answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’ ”

2810.28: Lev 18.5“You are right,” Jesus replied; “do this and you will live.”

29But the teacher of the Law wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbour?”

30Jesus answered, “There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead. 31It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by, on the other side. 32In the same way a Levite also came along, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by, on the other side. 3310.33–34: 2 Chr 28.15But a Samaritan who was travelling that way came upon the man, and when he saw him, his heart was filled with pity. 34He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he told the innkeeper, ‘and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him.’ ”

36And Jesus concluded, “In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbour towards the man attacked by the robbers?”

37The teacher of the Law answered, “The one who was kind to him.”

Jesus replied, “You go, then, and do the same.”

Jesus Visits Martha and Mary

3810.38–39: Jn 11.1As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him in her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the feet of the Lord and listened to his teaching. 40Martha was upset over all the work she had to do, so she came and said, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!”

41The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things, 42but just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing, and it will not be taken away from her.”