Luke 9:46-10:20

New International Version

⁴⁶An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.^(A) ⁴⁷Jesus, knowing their thoughts,^(B) took a little child and had him stand beside him. ⁴⁸Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^(C) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”^(D)

⁴⁹“Master,”^(E) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

⁵⁰“Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”^(F)

Samaritan Opposition

⁵¹As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,^(G) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.^(H) ⁵²And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan^(I) village to get things ready for him; ⁵³but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴When the disciples James and John^(J) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them^[a]?”^(K) ⁵⁵But Jesus turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus^(L)

⁵⁷As they were walking along the road,^(M) a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

⁵⁸Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man^(N) has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹He said to another man, “Follow me.”^(O)

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

⁶⁰Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”^(P)

⁶¹Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”^(Q)

⁶²Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two^(R)^(S)^(T)

10 After this the Lord^(U) appointed seventy-two^[b] others^(V) and sent them two by two^(W) ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.^(X) 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.^(Y) ³Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.^(Z) 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.^(AA) Do not move around from house to house.

⁸“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.^(AB) ⁹Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God^(AC) 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.^(AD) Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’^(AE) ¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom^(AF) than for that town.^(AG)

¹³“Woe to you,^(AH) 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^(AI) and ashes. ¹⁴But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum,^(AJ) will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[c]

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

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

¹⁸He replied, “I saw Satan^(AN) fall like lightning from heaven.^(AO) ¹⁹I have given you authority to trample on snakes^(AP) 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.”^(AQ)