Luke 10

New International Version

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two^(A)^(B)^(C)

10 After this the Lord^(D) appointed seventy-two^[a] others^(E) and sent them two by two^(F) ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.^(G) ²He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.^(H) ³Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.^(I) ⁴Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

⁵“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. ⁷Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.^(J) Do not move around from house to house.

⁸“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.^(K) ⁹Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God^(L) has come near to you.’ ¹⁰But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you.^(M) Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’^(N) ¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom^(O) than for that town.^(P)

¹³“Woe to you,^(Q) Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth^(R) and ashes. ¹⁴But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum,^(S) will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[b]

¹⁶“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”^(T)

¹⁷The seventy-two^(U) returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”^(V)

¹⁸He replied, “I saw Satan^(W) fall like lightning from heaven.^(X) ¹⁹I have given you authority to trample on snakes^(Y) and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”^(Z)

²¹At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.^(AA) Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²²“All things have been committed to me by my Father.^(AB) 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.”^(AC)

²³Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”^(AD)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan^(AE)

²⁵On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(AF)

²⁶“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[c];^(AG) and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[d]”^(AH)

²⁸“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”^(AI)

²⁹But he wanted to justify himself,^(AJ) so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.^(AK) ³²So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan,^(AL) as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two denarii^[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

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

³⁷The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

At the Home of Martha and Mary

³⁸As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha^(AM) opened her home to him. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary,^(AN) who sat at the Lord’s feet^(AO) listening to what he said. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care^(AP) that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried^(AQ) and upset about many things, ⁴²but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[f]^(AR) Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Footnotes

Luke 10:1 Some manuscripts seventy; also in verse 17
Luke 10:15 That is, the realm of the dead
Luke 10:27 Deut. 6:5
Luke 10:27 Lev. 19:18
Luke 10:35 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see Matt. 20:2).
Luke 10:42 Some manuscripts but only one thing is needed

Luke 10

English Standard Version

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed ^(A)seventy-two^[a] others and ^(B)sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. ²^(C)And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ^(D)Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³Go your way; ^(E)behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. ⁴^(F)Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and ^(G)greet no one on the road. ⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, ^(H)‘Peace be to this house!’ ⁶And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, ^(I)it will return to you. ⁷And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for ^(J)the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. ⁸Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. ⁹Heal the sick in it and say to them, ^(K)‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ¹¹^(L)‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that ^(M)the kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹²I tell you, ^(N)it will be more bearable on ^(O)that day for Sodom than for that town.

Woe to Unrepentant Cities

¹³^(P)“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in ^(Q)Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴^(R)But it will be more bearable in the judgment for ^(S)Tyre and Sidon than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum, ^(T)will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to ^(U)Hades.

¹⁶^(V)“The one who hears you hears me, and ^(W)the one who rejects you rejects me, and ^(X)the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

The Return of the Seventy-Two

¹⁷^(Y)The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, ^(Z)even the demons are subject to us in your name!” ¹⁸And he said to them, ^(AA)“I saw Satan ^(AB)fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹Behold, I have given you authority ^(AC)to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of ^(AD)the enemy, and ^(AE)nothing shall hurt you. ²⁰^(AF)Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that ^(AG)your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus Rejoices in the Father's Will

²¹^(AH)In that same hour ^(AI)he rejoiced ^(AJ)in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, ^(AK)Lord of heaven and earth, that ^(AL)you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and ^(AM)revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for ^(AN)such was your gracious will.^[b] ²²^(AO)All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is ^(AP)except the Father, or who the Father is ^(AQ)except the Son and anyone ^(AR)to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

²³Then turning to the disciples he said privately, ^(AS)“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! ²⁴For I tell you ^(AT)that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵^(AU)And behold, a ^(AV)lawyer stood up to ^(AW)put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to ^(AX)inherit eternal life?” ²⁶He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” ²⁷And he answered, ^(AY)“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and ^(AZ)your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; ^(BA)do this, and you will live.”

²⁹But he, ^(BB)desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰Jesus replied, “A man ^(BC)was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹Now by chance a ^(BD)priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. ³²So likewise ^(BE)a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a ^(BF)Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. ³⁴He went to him and ^(BG)bound up his wounds, pouring on ^(BH)oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵And the next day he took out two ^(BI)denarii^[c] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ ³⁶Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” ³⁷He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Martha and Mary

³⁸Now as they went on their way, Jesus^[d] entered a village. And a woman named ^(BJ)Martha ^(BK)welcomed him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called ^(BL)Mary, who ^(BM)sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” ⁴¹But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are ^(BN)anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴²but one thing is necessary.^[e] Mary has chosen ^(BO)the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Footnotes

Luke 10:1 Some manuscripts seventy; also verse 17
Luke 10:21 Or for so it pleased you well
Luke 10:35 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
Luke 10:38 Greek he
Luke 10:42 Some manuscripts few things are necessary, or only one

Luke 10

The Message

Lambs in a Wolf Pack

10 ^1-2Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go. He gave them this charge:

“What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.

³“On your way! But be careful—this is hazardous work. You’re like lambs in a wolf pack.

⁴“Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage.

“Don’t loiter and make small talk with everyone you meet along the way.

^5-6“When you enter a home, greet the family, ‘Peace.’ If your greeting is received, then it’s a good place to stay. But if it’s not received, take it back and get out. Don’t impose yourself.

⁷“Stay at one home, taking your meals there, for a worker deserves three square meals. Don’t move from house to house, looking for the best cook in town.

^8-9“When you enter a town and are received, eat what they set before you, heal anyone who is sick, and tell them, ‘God’s kingdom is right on your doorstep!’

^10-12“When you enter a town and are not received, go out in the street and say, ‘The only thing we got from you is the dirt on our feet, and we’re giving it back. Did you have any idea that God’s kingdom was right on your doorstep?’ Sodom will have it better on Judgment Day than the town that rejects you.

^13-14“Doom, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had been given half the chances given you, they’d have been on their knees long ago, repenting and crying for mercy. Tyre and Sidon will have it easy on Judgment Day compared to you.

¹⁵“And you, Capernaum! Do you think you’re about to be promoted to heaven? Think again. You’re on a fast track to hell.

¹⁶“The one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me.”

¹⁷The seventy came back triumphant. “Master, even the demons danced to your tune!”

^18-20Jesus said, “I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I’ve given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that’s the agenda for rejoicing.”

²¹At that, Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. “I thank you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.

²²“I’ve been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is. The Son can introduce the Father to anyone he wants to.”

^23-24He then turned in a private aside to his disciples. “Fortunate the eyes that see what you’re seeing! There are plenty of prophets and kings who would have given their right arm to see what you are seeing but never got so much as a glimpse, to hear what you are hearing but never got so much as a whisper.”

Defining “Neighbor”

²⁵Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?”

²⁶He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”

²⁷He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”

²⁸“Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”

²⁹Looking for a loophole, he asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?”

^30-32Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.

^33-35“A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’

³⁶“What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?”

³⁷“The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”

Mary and Martha

^38-40As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”

^41-42The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”

Luke 10

Contemporary English Version

The Work of the Seventy-Two Followers

10 Later the Lord chose 72^[a] other followers and sent them out two by two to every town and village where he was about to go. ²^(A) 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^(B) Now go, but remember, I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. ⁴^(C) Don't take along a moneybag or a traveling bag or sandals. And don't waste time greeting people on the road.^[b] ⁵As soon as you enter a home, say, “God bless this home with peace.” ⁶If 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^(D) 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.

⁸If the people of a town welcome you, eat whatever they offer. ⁹Heal their sick and say, “God's kingdom will soon be here!”^[c]

¹⁰^(E) 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^[d] as a warning to you. And you can be sure that God's kingdom will soon be here!”^[e] ¹²^(F) 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^(G) 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.^[f] ¹⁴On the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will. ¹⁵^(H) People of Capernaum, do you think you will be honored in heaven? Well, you will go down to hell!

¹⁶^(I) 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

¹⁷When the 72^[g] followers returned, they were excited and said, “Lord, even the demons obeyed when we spoke in your name!”

¹⁸Jesus told them:

I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. ¹⁹^(J) 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. ²⁰But don't be happy because evil spirits obey you. Be happy that your names are written in heaven!

Jesus Thanks His Father

(Matthew 11.25-27; 13.16,17)

²¹At that same time, Jesus felt the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit,^[h] 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^(K) 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.

²³Jesus then turned to his disciples and said to them in private, “You are really blessed to see what you see! ²⁴Many 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

²⁵^(L) 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?”

²⁶Jesus answered, “What is written in the Scriptures? How do you understand them?”

²⁷^(M) 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^(N) Jesus said, “You have given the right answer. If you do this, you will have eternal life.”

²⁹But the man wanted to show that he knew what he was talking about. So he asked Jesus, “Who are my neighbors?”

³⁰Jesus 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.

³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. ³²Later a temple helper^[i] 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^(O) A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him ³⁴and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine^[j] and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. ³⁵The 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.”

³⁶Then Jesus asked, “Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?”

³⁷The expert in the Law of Moses answered, “The one who showed pity.”

Jesus said, “Go and do the same!”

Martha and Mary

³⁸^(P) 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. ³⁹She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. ⁴⁰Martha 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!”

⁴¹The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, ⁴²but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Footnotes

10.1 72: Some manuscripts have “70.” According to Jewish tradition, there were 70 nations on earth. But the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament has “72” in place of “70.” Jesus probably chose this number of followers to show that his message was for everyone in the world.
10.4 waste time greeting people on the road: In those days a polite greeting could take a long time.
10.9 will soon be here: Or “is already here.”
10.11 shaking the dust from our feet: This was a way of showing rejection.
10.11 will soon be here: Or “is already here.”
10.13 dressed in sackcloth … ashes on their heads: This was one way that people showed how sorry they were for their sins.
10.17 72: See the note at 10.1.
10.21 the Holy Spirit: Some manuscripts have “his spirit.”
10.32 temple helper: A man from the tribe of Levi, whose job it was to work around the temple.
10.34 olive oil and wine: In New Testament times these were used as medicine. Sometimes olive oil is a symbol for healing by means of a miracle (see James 5.14).

New International Version (NIV)

Luke 10

New International Version