The Samaritans Do Not Welcome Jesus

⁵¹ The time grew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven. So he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² He sent messengers on ahead. They went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. ⁵³ But the people there did not welcome Jesus. That was because he was heading for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ The disciples James and John saw this. They asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” ⁵⁵ But Jesus turned and commanded them not to do it. ⁵⁶ Then Jesus and his disciples went on to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

⁵⁷ Once Jesus and those who were with him were walking along the road. A man said to Jesus, “I will follow you no matter where you go.”

⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens. Birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let dead people bury their own dead. You go and tell others about God’s kingdom.”

⁶¹ Still another person said, “I will follow you, Lord. But first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

⁶² Jesus replied, “Suppose someone starts to plow and then looks back. That person is not fit for service in God’s kingdom.”

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed 72 others. He sent them out two by two ahead of him. They went to every town and place where he was about to go. ² He told them, “The harvest is huge, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. ³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴ Do not take a purse or bag or sandals. And don’t greet anyone on the road.

⁵ “When you enter a house, first say, ‘May this house be blessed with peace.’ ⁶ If someone there works to bring peace, your blessing of peace will rest on them. If not, it will return to you. ⁷ Stay there, and eat and drink anything they give you. Workers are worthy of their pay. Do not move around from house to house.

⁸ “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is given to you. ⁹ Heal the sick people who are there. Tell them, ‘God’s kingdom has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But what if you enter a town and are not welcomed? Then go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘We wipe from our feet even the dust of your town. We do it to warn you. But here is what you can be sure of. God’s kingdom has come near.’ ¹² I tell you this. On judgment day it will be easier for Sodom than for that town.

¹³ “How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible for you, Bethsaida! Suppose the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon. They would have turned away from their sins long ago. They would have put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. They would have sat down in ashes. ¹⁴ On judgment day it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ¹⁵ And what about you, Capernaum? Will you be lifted up to the heavens? No! You will go down to the place of the dead.

¹⁶ “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever does not accept you does not accept me. But whoever does not accept me does not accept the one who sent me.”

¹⁷ The 72 returned with joy. They said, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we speak in your name.”

¹⁸ Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to walk all over snakes and scorpions. You will be able to destroy all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. ²⁰ But do not be glad when the evil spirits obey you. Instead, be glad that your names are written in heaven.”

²¹ At that time Jesus was full of joy through the Holy Spirit. He said, “I praise you, Father. You are Lord of heaven and earth. You have hidden these things from wise and educated people. But you have shown them to little children. Yes, Father. This is what you wanted to do.

²² “My Father has given all things to me. The Father is the only one who knows who the Son is. And the only ones who know the Father are the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to make the Father known.”

²³ Then Jesus turned to his disciples. He said to them in private, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see. But they didn’t see it. They wanted to hear what you hear. But they didn’t hear it.”