Sending Out the Seventy

10 After this, the Lord appointed 70^[a] others, and He sent them ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself was about to go. ² He told them:^(A) “The harvest^(B) is abundant, but the workers^(C) are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.^{(D) 3} Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves.^{(E) 4} Don’t carry a money-bag,^(F) traveling bag,^(G) or sandals;^(H) don’t greet anyone along the road. ⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace^(I) to this household.’ ⁶ If a son of peace^[b] is there, your peace^(J) will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. ⁷ Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages.^(K) Don’t be moving from house to house. ⁸ When you enter any town, and they welcome you, eat the things set before you.^{(L) 9} Heal the sick^(M) who are there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God^(N) has come near^(O) you.’ ¹⁰ When you enter any town, and they don’t welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘We are wiping off as a witness against you^(P) even the dust of your town that clings to our feet. Know this for certain: The kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, on that day^(Q) it will be more tolerable for Sodom^(R) than for that town.^(S)

Unrepentant Towns

¹³ “Woe^(T) to you,^(U) Chorazin!^(V) Woe to you, Bethsaida!^(W) For if the miracles^(X) that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,^(Y) they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes!^{(Z) 14} But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment^(AA) than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum,^(AB) will you be exalted to heaven?^(AC) No, you will go down to Hades!^{(AD) 16} Whoever listens to you listens to Me.^(AE) Whoever rejects you rejects Me.^(AF) And whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”^(AG)

The Return of the Seventy

¹⁷ The Seventy^[c](AH) returned with joy, saying,^(AI) “Lord, even the demons^(AJ) submit to us in Your name.”^(AK)

¹⁸ He said to them, “I watched Satan^(AL) fall from heaven like a lightning flash.^{(AM) 19} Look, I have given you the authority^(AN) to trample^(AO) on snakes^(AP) and scorpions^(AQ) and over all the power of the enemy;^(AR) nothing will ever harm you.^{(AS) 20} However, don’t rejoice that^[d] the spirits^(AT) submit to you,^(AU) but rejoice that your names are written^(AV) in heaven.”

The Son Reveals the Father

²¹ In that same hour^(AW) He^[e] rejoiced in the Holy^[f] Spirit^(AX) and said, “I praise^[g] You, Father,^(AY) Lord of heaven and earth,^(AZ) because You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned^(BA) and have revealed them to infants.^(BB) Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.^{[h](BC) 22} All things have^[i] 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 desires^[j] to reveal Him.”^(BD)

²³ Then turning to His disciples He said privately, “The eyes that see the things you see are blessed! ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them.”^(BE)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ Just^(BF) then an expert in the law^(BG) stood up to test^(BH) Him, saying, “Teacher,^(BI) what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(BJ)

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

²⁷ He answered:

²⁸ “You’ve answered correctly,” He told him. “Do this and you will live.”^(BN)

²⁹ But wanting to justify himself,^(BO) he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”^(BP)

³⁰ Jesus 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. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan^(BQ) on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.^{(BR) 34} He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil^(BS) and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day^[l] he took out two denarii, 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 mercy^(BT) to him,” he said.

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

Martha and Mary

³⁸ While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha^(BU) welcomed Him into her home.^{[m] 39} She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s^[n] feet^(BV) and was listening to what He said.^{[o] 40} But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care^(BW) that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”^[p](BX)

⁴¹ The Lord^[q] answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things,^{(BY) 42} but one thing is necessary.^(BZ) Mary has made the right choice,^[r] and it will not be taken away from her.”

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 All^(A) the tax collectors^(B) and sinners were approaching to listen to Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners^(C) and eats with them!”

³ So He told them this parable:^{(D) 4} “What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them,^(E) does not leave the 99 in the open field^[a] and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵ When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, ⁶ and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven^(F) over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or what woman who has 10 silver coins,^[b] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ When she finds it, she calls her women friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ ¹⁰ I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels^(G) over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ He also said: “A man had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets^[c] to them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered^(H) his estate in foolish living.^{(I) 14} After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.^{[d] 15} Then he went to work for^[e] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.^{(J) 16} He longed to eat his fill from^[f] the carob pods^[g] the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. ¹⁷ When he came to his senses,^[h] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!^{[i] 18} I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned^(K) against heaven^(L) and in your sight. ¹⁹ I’m no longer worthy^(M) to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion.^(N) He ran, threw his arms around his neck,^[j] and kissed^(O) him. ²¹ The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe^(P) and put it on him; put a ring^(Q) on his finger^[k] and sandals^(R) on his feet. ²³ Then bring the fattened calf^(S) and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, ²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and is alive again;^(T) he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’^[l]

²⁸ “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets^[m] with prostitutes,^(U) you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

³¹ “‘Son,’^[n] he said to him, ‘you are always with me,^(V) and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”