Luke 10:1-17
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] 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 (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.
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!”[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] 14 On 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
17 When the 72[g] followers returned, they were excited and said, “Lord, even the demons obeyed when we spoke in your name!”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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.
Luke 10:1-17
World English Bible
10 Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him[a] into every city and place where he was about to come. 2 Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way. 5 Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6 If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house. 8 Into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ 10 But into whatever city you enter, and they don’t receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15 You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. [b] 16 Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
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Luke 10:1-17
Expanded Bible
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two(A)
10 After this, the Lord ·chose [appointed] ·seventy-two[a] [C the number may reflect the 70 nations listed in the “table of nations” in Genesis 10 (the Greek text of which reads “72”) and so foreshadows the mission to the Gentiles] others and sent them out in pairs ahead of him into every town and place where he ·planned [was about] to go. 2 He said to them, “·There are a great many people to harvest [L The harvest is great/large], but ·there are only a few workers [L the workers/laborers are few]. So pray to the Lord ·who owns [who is in charge of; L of] the harvest, that he will send more ·workers [laborers] ·to gather [L into] his harvest. 3 Go now, but ·listen [L look; T behold]! I am sending you out like ·sheep [lambs] among wolves. 4 Don’t carry ·a purse [money bag], a ·bag [traveling bag], or sandals, and don’t ·waste time talking with people [greet anyone] on the road [C because of the urgency of the task]. 5 ·Before [When] you go into a house, [L first] say, ‘Peace be with this house.’ 6 If ·peace-loving people [L a son/child of peace] live there, your ·blessing of peace [L peace] will ·stay with [rest on] them, but if not, then ·your blessing [L it] will come back to you. 7 Stay in the same house, eating and drinking what the people there give you. [L For] A worker ·should be given his pay [deserves his wages; T is worthy of his hire; 1 Tim. 5:18]. Don’t move from house to house [C to avoid the temptation of constantly seeking better accommodations]. 8 If you go into a town and the people welcome you, eat what they give you. 9 Heal the sick who live there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ 10 But if you go into a town, and the people don’t welcome you, then go into the streets and say, 11 ‘Even the ·dirt [dust] from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you [C in protest and as a warning of judgment]. But ·remember [know; recognize] that the kingdom of God ·is near [has come near; is at hand].’ 12 I tell you, on ·the Judgment Day [L that day] it will be ·better [more bearable/tolerable] for the people of Sodom [C a city God destroyed because the people were so evil; Gen. 19] than for the people of that town.
Jesus Warns Unbelievers(B)
13 “·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, Korazin! ·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, Bethsaida [C towns in Galilee where Jesus ministered]! If the ·miracles [powerful deeds] ·I did [L that occurred] in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon [C cities in Phoenicia notorious for their wickedness], those people would have ·changed their lives [repented] long ago. ·They would have worn rough cloth and put ashes on themselves to show they had changed [L …sitting in sackcloth/burlap and ashes; C signs of sorrow and deep remorse]. 14 But ·on the judgment day [L at the judgment] it will be ·better [more bearable/tolerable] for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum [C a town in Galilee where Jesus lived and ministered], will you be ·lifted up to [honored/exalted in] heaven? No! You will be thrown down to ·the depths [the place of the dead; hell; L Hades; Is. 14:13–15]!
16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me [Matt. 10:40; John 13:20], and whoever ·refuses to accept [rejects] you ·refuses to accept [rejects] me. And whoever ·refuses to accept [rejects] me ·refuses to accept [rejects] the One who sent me.”
Satan Falls
17 When the ·seventy-two[b] came back, they were very ·happy [joyful] and said, “Lord, even the demons ·obeyed [submit to] us ·when we used your name [L in your name]!”
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- Luke 10:1 seventy-two Some Greek copies read “seventy.”
- Luke 10:17 seventy-two Some Greek copies read “seventy.”
Luke 10:1-17
Wycliffe Bible
10 And after these things the Lord Jesus ordained also other seventy and twain, and sent them by twain and twain before his face into every city and place[a], whither he was to come.
2 And he said to them, There is much ripe corn, and few workmen [Soothly much ripe corn is, but few workmen be]; therefore pray ye the Lord of the ripe corn, that he send workmen into his ripe corn.
3 Go ye, lo! I send you as lambs among wolves.
4 Therefore do not ye bear a satchel, neither scrip [Do not ye bear a satchel, nor scrip], neither shoes, and greet ye no man by the way.
5 Into what house that ye enter [And into whatever house ye shall enter], first say ye, Peace to this house.
6 And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest on him; but if none [if none], it shall turn again to you.
7 And dwell ye in the same house [Forsooth in the same house dwell ye], eating and drinking those things that be at them; for a workman is worthy his hire. Do not ye pass from house into house.
8 And into whatever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat ye those things that be set to you;
9 and heal ye the sick men that be in that city. And say ye to them, The kingdom of God shall approach into you.[b]
10 And into what city ye enter [Into whatever city ye shall enter], and they receive you not, go ye out into the streets of it, and say ye,
11 We wipe off against you the powder that cleaved to us of your city; nevertheless know ye this thing, that the realm of God shall come nigh.
12 [Forsooth] I say to you, that to Sodom it shall be easier [for to Sodom, it shall be easier, or less pain,] than to that city in that day.
13 Woe to thee, Chorazin; woe to thee, Bethsaida; for if in Tyre and Sidon the works of power [the virtues] had been done, which have been done in you, sometime they would have sat in haircloth and ashes, and have done penance [sometime they sitting in haircloth and ashes, should have done penance].
14 Nevertheless to Tyre and Sidon it shall be easier in the doom than to you.
15 And thou, Capernaum, art enhanced till to heaven; thou shalt be drowned till into hell [thou shalt be drowned down into 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 two and seventy disciples turned again with joy, and said [saying], Lord, also devils be subject to us in thy name.
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