New Testament in a Year
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]!”
18 Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven [C symbolically in the exorcisms; Is. 14:12; Rev. 12:13]. 19 ·Listen [L Look; T Behold], I have given you ·power [authority] to ·walk on [trample] snakes and scorpions, ·power that is greater than the enemy has [L …and authority over all the power of the enemy]. So nothing will hurt you. 20 But you should not ·be happy [rejoice] because the spirits ·obey [submit to] you but because your names are ·written [recorded] in heaven.”
Jesus Prays to the Father(C)
21 ·Then [At that time; L In the same hour] Jesus ·rejoiced [was full of joy] in the Holy Spirit and said, “I ·praise [bless; thank; acknowledge] you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the people who are wise and ·smart [learned; intelligent]. But you have ·shown [revealed] them to ·those who are like little children [L little children; infants; C those with a childlike faith]. Yes, Father, [L because] this is what ·you really wanted [pleased you].
22 “My Father has ·given [entrusted/committed to] me all things. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father. And no one knows who the Father is, except the Son and those whom the Son ·chooses [desires; intends] to ·tell [L reveal it to].”
23 Then Jesus turned to his ·followers [disciples] and said privately, “·You are blessed to [L Blessed are the eyes that] see what you now see. 24 [L For] I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you now see, but they did not, and they wanted to hear what you now hear, but they did not.”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.