1   After this the Lord appointed a further seventy-two ^note and sent them on ahead in pairs to every town and place he was going to visit himself. 2   He said to them: ‘The crop is heavy, but labourers are scarce; you must therefore beg the owner to send labourers to harvest his crop. 3   Be on your way. And look, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 4   Carry no purse or pack, and travel barefoot. 5   Exchange no greetings on the road. When you go into a house, let your first words be, “Peace to this house.” 6   If there is a man of peace there, your peace will rest upon him; if not, it will return and rest upon you. 7   Stay in that one house, sharing their food and drink; for the worker earns his pay. Do not move from house to house. 8   When you come into a town and they make you welcome, eat the food provided for you; 9   heal the sick there, and say, “The kingdom of God has come close to you.” 10   When you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, 11   go out into its streets and say, “The very dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off to your shame. Only take note of this: the kingdom of God has come close.” 12   I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the great Day than for that town.

13   ‘Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Journeys and encounters 14   But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the Judgement than for you. 15   And as for you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to the skies? No, brought down to the depths!

16   ‘Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the One who sent me.’

17   The seventy-two ^note came back jubilant. ‘In your name, Lord,’ they said, ‘even the devils submit to us.’ 18   He replied, ‘I watched how Satan fell, like lightning, out of the sky. 19   And now you see that I have given you the power to tread underfoot snakes and scorpions and all the forces of the enemy, and nothing will ever harm you. ^note 20   Nevertheless, what you should rejoice over is not that the spirits submit to you, but that your names are enrolled in heaven.’

21   At that moment Jesus exulted in the Holy ^note Spirit and said, ‘I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and wise, and revealing them to the simple. Yes, Father, such ^note was thy choice.’ 22   Then turning to his disciples he said, ^note ‘Everything is entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is but the Father, or who the Father is but the Son, and those to whom the Son may choose to reveal him.’

23   Turning to his disciples in private he said, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you are seeing! 24   I tell you, many prophets and kings wished to see what you now see, yet never saw it; to hear what you hear, yet never heard it.’

25   On one occasion a lawyer came forward to put this test question to him: ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26   Jesus said, ‘What is written in the Law? 27   What is your reading of it?’ He replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ 28   ‘That is the right answer,’ said Jesus; ‘do that and you will live.’

29   But he wanted to vindicate himself, so he said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 30   Jesus replied, ‘A man was on his way from Jerusalem down to Jericho when he fell in with robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went off leaving him half dead. 31   It so happened

Journeys and encounters that a priest was going down by the same road; but when he saw him, he went past on the other side. 32   So too a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him went past on the other side. 33   But a Samaritan who was making the journey came upon him, and when he saw him was moved to pity. 34   He went up and bandaged his wounds, bathing them with oil and wine. Then he lifted him on to his own beast, brought him to an inn, and looked after him there. 35   Next day he produced two silver pieces and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Look after him; and if you spend any more, I will repay you on my way back.” 36   Which of these three do you think was neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ 37   He answered, ‘The one who showed him kindness.’ Jesus said, ‘Go and do as he did.’

38   While they were on their way Jesus came to a village where a woman named Martha made him welcome in her home. 39   She had a sister, Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and stayed there listening to his words. 40   Now Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to get on with the work by myself? Tell her to come and lend a hand.’ 41   But the Lord answered, ‘Martha, Martha, you are fretting and fussing about so many things; 42   but one thing is necessary. ^noteThe part that Mary has chosen is best; and it shall not be taken away from her.’

Previous section

Next section