Sending Out the Seventy-Two

1After this, the Lord appointed seventy-twoA others, and he sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2He told them,a “The harvestb is abundant, but the workersc are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.d 3Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves.a 4Don’t carry a money-bag,a traveling bag,b or sandals;c don’t greet anyone along the road. 5Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peacea to this household.’ 6If a person of peace is there, your peacea will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages.a Don’t move from house to house. 8When you enter any town, and they welcome you, eat the things set before you.a 9Heal the sicka who are there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of Godb has come nearc you.’ 10When you enter any town, and they don’t welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘We are wiping off even the dust of your town that clings to our feet as a witness against you.a Know this for certain: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12I tell you, on that daya it will be more tolerable for Sodomb than for that town.c

Unrepentant Towns

13“Woea to you,b Chorazin!c Woe to you, Bethsaida!d For if the miraclese that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,f they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.g 14But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgmenta than for you. 15And you, Capernaum,a will you be exalted to heaven?b No, you will go down to Hades.c 16Whoever listens to you listens to me.a Whoever rejects you rejects me.b And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”c

The Return of the Seventy-Two

17The seventy-twoa a returned with joy, saying,b “Lord, even the demonsc submit to us in your name.”d

18He said to them, “I watched Satana fall from heaven like lightning.b 19Look, I have given you the authoritya to trampleb on snakesc and scorpionsd and over all the power of the enemy;e nothing at all will harm you.f 20However, don’t rejoice thatA the spiritsa submit to you,b but rejoice that your names are writtenc in heaven.”

The Son Reveals the Father

21At that timea heA rejoiced in the HolyB Spiritb and said, “I praiseC you, Father,c Lord of heaven and earth,d because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligente and revealed them to infants.f Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure.D g 22All things haveA been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son desiresB to reveal him.”a

23Then turning to his disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see! 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see but didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.”a

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25Thena an expert in the lawb stood up to testc him, saying, “Teacher,d what must I do to inherit eternal life? ”e

26“What is written in the law? ” he asked him. “How do you read it? ”

27He answered, “Love the Lord your Goda with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,”b and “your neighbor as yourself.”c d

28“You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”a

29But wanting to justify himself,a he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor? ”b

30Jesus took up the question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritana on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.b 34He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oila and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35The next dayA he took out two denarii,B gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’

36“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers? ”

37“The one who showed mercya to him,” he said.

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”

Martha and Mary

38While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Marthaa welcomed him into her home.A 39She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’sA feeta and was listening to what he said.B 40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you carea that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”a b

41The LordA answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things,a 42but one thing is necessary.a a Mary has made the right choice,B and it will not be taken away from her.”