The Work of the Seventy-Two Followers
1 Later the Lord chose 72 other followers and sent them out two by two to every town and village where he was about to go. 2 He said to them:
A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers. Ask the Lord in charge of the harvest to send out workers to bring it in. 3 Now go, but remember, I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. 4 Don't take along a moneybag or a traveling bag or sandals. And don't waste time greeting people on the road. 5 As soon as you enter a home, say, “God bless this home with peace.” 6 If the people living there are peace-loving, your prayer for peace will bless them. But if they are not peace-loving, your prayer will return to you. 7 Stay with the same family, eating and drinking whatever they give you, because workers are worth what they earn. Don't move around from house to house.
8 If the people of a town welcome you, eat whatever they offer. 9 Heal their sick and say, “God's kingdom will soon be here!”
10 But if the people of a town refuse to welcome you, go out into the street and say, 11 “We are shaking the dust from our feet as a warning to you. And you can be sure that God's kingdom will soon be here!” 12 I tell you that on the day of judgment the people of Sodom will get off easier than the people of that town!
The Unbelieving Towns
(Matthew 11.20-24)
13 You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are also in for trouble! If the miracles that took place in your towns had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have turned to God long ago. They would have dressed in sackcloth and put ashes on their heads. 14 On the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will. 15 People of Capernaum, do you think you will be honored in heaven? Well, you will go down to hell!
16 My followers, whoever listens to you is listening to me. Anyone who says “No” to you is saying “No” to me. And anyone who says “No” to me is really saying “No” to the one who sent me.
The Return of the Seventy-Two
17 When the 72 followers returned, they were excited and said, “Lord, even the demons obeyed when we spoke in your name!”
18 Jesus told them:
I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 I have given you the power to trample on snakes and scorpions and to defeat the power of your enemy Satan. Nothing can harm you. 20 But don't be happy because evil spirits obey you. Be happy that your names are written in heaven!
Jesus Thanks His Father
(Matthew 11.25-27Matthew 13.16Matthew 17)
21 At that same time, Jesus felt the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, and he said:
My Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.
22 My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who really knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so they can know him too.
23 Jesus then turned to his disciples and said to them in private, “You are really blessed to see what you see! 24 Many prophets and kings were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you they did not see or hear.”
The Good Samaritan
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25 An expert in the Law of Moses stood up and asked Jesus a question to see what he would say. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to have eternal life?”
26 Jesus answered, “What is written in the Scriptures? How do you understand them?”
27 The man replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ They also say, ‘Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.’ ”
28 Jesus said, “You have given the right answer. If you do this, you will have eternal life.”
29 But the man wanted to show that he knew what he was talking about. So he asked Jesus, “Who are my neighbors?”
30 Jesus replied:
As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. 32 Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side.
33 A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him 34 and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next morning he gave the innkeeper two silver coins and said, “Please take care of the man. If you spend more than this on him, I will pay you when I return.”
36 Then Jesus asked, “Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?”
37 The expert in the Law of Moses answered, “The one who showed pity.”
Jesus said, “Go and do the same!”
Martha and Mary
38 The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. 40 Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn't it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!”
41 The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, 42 but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.”
1 After these thinges, the Lord appointed other seuentie also, and sent them, two and two before him into euery citie and place, whither he himselfe should come. 2 And he said vnto them, The haruest is great, but the labourers are fewe: pray therefore the Lord of the haruest to sende foorth labourers into his haruest. 3 Goe your wayes: beholde, I send you foorth as lambes among wolues. 4 Beare no bagge, neither scrippe, nor shoes, and salute no man by the way. 5 And into whatsoeuer house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 6 And if the sonne of peace be there, your peace shall rest vpon him: if not, it shall turne to you againe. 7 And in that house tary still, eating and drinking such things as by them shall be set before you: for the labourer is worthy of his wages. Goe not from house to house. 8 But into whatsoeuer citie ye shall enter, if they receiue you, eate such things as are set before you, 9 And heale the sicke that are there, and say vnto them, The kingdome of God is come neere vnto you. 10 But into whatsoeuer citie ye shall enter, if they will not receiue you, goe your wayes out into the streetes of the same, and say, 11 Euen the very dust, which cleaueth on vs of your citie, we wipe off against you: notwithstanding knowe this, that the kingdome of God was come neere vnto you. 12 For I say to you, that it shall be easier in that day for them of Sodom, then for that citie. 13 Woe be to thee, Chorazin: woe be to thee, Beth-saida: for if the miracles had bene done in Tyrus and Sidon, which haue bene done in you, they had a great while agone repented, sitting in sackecloth and ashes. 14 Therefore it shall be easier for Tyrus, and Sidon, at the iudgement, then for you. 15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heauen, shalt be thrust downe to hell. 16 He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me: and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. 17 And the seuentie turned againe with ioy, saying, Lord, euen the deuils are subdued to vs through thy Name. 18 And he said vnto them, I sawe Satan, like lightening, fall downe from heauen. 19 Beholde, I giue vnto you power to treade on Serpents, and Scorpions, and ouer all the power of the enemie, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Neuerthelesse, in this reioyce not, that the spirits are subdued vnto you: but rather reioyce, because your names are written in heauen. 21 That same houre reioyced Iesus in the spirit, and said, I confesse vnto thee, Father, Lord of heauen and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and vnderstanding, and hast reueiled them to babes: euen so, Father, because it so pleased thee. 22 All things are giuen me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Sonne is, but the Father: neither who the Father is, saue the Sonne, and he to whom the Sonne will reueile him. 23 And he turned to his disciples, and said secretly, Blessed are the eyes, which see that ye see. 24 For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings haue desired to see those things, which ye see, and haue not seene them: and to heare those things which ye heare, and haue not heard them. 25 Then beholde, a certaine Lawyer stoode vp, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I doe, to inherite eternall life? 26 And he saide vnto him, What is written in the Lawe? howe readest thou? 27 And he answered, and saide, Thou shalt loue thy Lord God with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, and with all thy thought, and thy neighbour as thy selfe. 28 Then he said vnto him, Thou hast answered right: this doe, and thou shalt liue. 29 But he willing to iustifie himselfe, said vnto Iesus, Who is then my neighbour? 30 And Iesus answered, and saide, A certaine man went downe from Hierusalem to Iericho, and fell among theeues, and they robbed him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leauing him halfe dead. 31 Nowe so it fell out, that there came downe a certaine Priest that same way, and when he sawe him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise also a Leuite, when he was come neere to the place, went and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 Then a certaine Samaritane, as he iourneyed, came neere vnto him, and when he sawe him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound vp his wounds, and powred in oyle and wine, and put him on his owne beast, and brought him to an Inne, and made prouision for him. 35 And on the morowe when he departed, he tooke out two pence, and gaue them to the hoste, and said vnto him, Take care of him, and whatsoeuer thou spendest more, when I come againe, I will recompense thee. 36 Which nowe of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour vnto him that fell among the theeues? 37 And he saide, He that shewed mercie on him. Then said Iesus vnto him, Goe, and do thou likewise. 38 Nowe it came to passe, as they went, that he entred into a certaine towne, and a certaine woman named Martha, receiued him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Marie, which also sate at Iesus feete, and heard his preaching. 40 But Martha was combred about much seruing, and came to him, and saide, Master, doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serue alone? bid her therefore, that she helpe me. 41 And Iesus answered, and said vnto her, Martha, Martha, thou carest, and art troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needefull, Marie hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.