10:1 After these events the Master commissioned seventy-two others and dispatched them in pairs in advance of his appearance within the villages and places he was going to go.
10:2 He told them, “The harvest is truly great, but the workers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest.
10:3 Go now – I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
10:4 Take with you no money belt, nor a bag or shoes, and greet no one on the way.
10:5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace1 be to this house.’
10:6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him – but if not, it will return to you.
10:7 Stay in this house and eat and drink whatever they give you – because wages get paid to workers. Don’t move from house to house.
10:8 Whenever you enter a village and they welcome you, eat what is set before you.
10:9 Heal those who are sick and tell them, ‘The sanctuary of God is available to you.’2
10:10 But whenever you enter a village and they don’t welcome you, go out into its streets and say –
10:11 ‘Because of you, we are wiping off the dust of your village that clings to our feet. But know that the sanctuary of God is readily available.’
10:12 I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom at that time3 than for that village.”
10:13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the powerful miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have had a change of heart long ago – sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
10:14 Yet it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
10:15 And you Capernaum, you won’t be glorified in heaven, will you. You will be taken down to hell.
10:16 One who listens to you listens to me; and one who rejects you rejects me. And one who rejects me rejects the One who sent me.”
10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Master, by your name, even the demons obeyed us.”
10:18 Thus he replied, “I watched the opposer fall from heaven like lightning.
10:19 Just consider, I gave you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions – and above all, the power of the enemy. Thus nothing will injure you.
10:20 Nonetheless, don’t rejoice that the spirits obey you. Rejoice that your names are enrolled in the spiritual realm.”
10:21 At this time, he rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit. He said, “I praise you Creator, LORD of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and have revealed them to the humble. Yes, LORD, because this is the way that pleases you.
10:22 All these have been given to me by my LORD. No one knows who the Representative is except the Creator – and who the Creator is except the Representative and anyone whom the Representative wants to reveal Him to.
10:23 He turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see.”
10:24 I tell you, many prophets and kings would have liked to perceive those things you are perceiving and did not – and to hear the things you are hearing but didn’t hear them.”
10:25 Then a scribe stood up and tested him. He asked, “Teacher, what should I do to receive everlasting life?”
10:26 He replied to him, “What is written in the Scripture? How do you read it?”
10:27 The man replied, “’Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;’ and ‘Love your neighbor4 as yourself.’”5
10:28 Jesus replied back, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.”
10:29 But wanting to show his righteousness, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
10:30 Jesus replied, “A person was walking down from Jerusalem to Jericho and was assailed by robbers. They stripped him and beat him and ran off, leaving him half dead.
10:31 Then by chance a priest was walking on that road and when he saw him, he crossed to the other side and passed by.
10:32 Similarly, a Levite approached and saw him and also crossed to the other side and passed by.
10:33 But a Samaritan who was traveling came upon him and when he saw him, he felt compassion.
10:34 Then he approached him and bandaged his wounds and poured oil and wine on them. He then mounted him upon his own mule and brought him to an inn and cared for him.
10:35 The next day he took out two denariis and gave them to the innkeeper and told him, ‘Take care of him and whatever more you spend I will repay you when I return.’
10:36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?”
10:37 The man replied, “The one who showed mercy towards him.” Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”
10:38 Later as they were traveling, he entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
10:39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Master’s feet listening to his teachings.
10:40 But Martha was distracted by all her preparations. She approached him and said, “Master, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? So tell her to help me.”
10:42 Then the Master replied, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and bothered about so many things.
10:43 Yet only one thing is necessary. Mary has made an excellent choice, which will never be taken from her.”
Footnotes:
1. Verse 10:5. The Greek word εἰρήνη (eirēnē) does mean “peace,” but the kind of “peace” Jesus is speaking of relates to spiritual tranquility – bringing one's devotional consciousness into the house.
2. Verse 10:9 and 10:11. These statements also reflect the teachings of John the Baptist, as indicated in Matthew 3:2.
3. Verse 10:12. The Greek phrase, ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ refers to “that day” or “that time” – in context referring to their time of death, when they must face God. Jesus utilized this phrase, ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ elsewhere as he referred to the time of death. This is confirmed in verse 10:14 – “at the judgment.”
4. Verse 10:27. The Greek word πλησίον (plēsion) also means “any other person and where two are concerned - the other.” This indicates that one’s love for others should not be limited to a neighbor.
5. Verse 10:27. He is referencing Moses’ statements:
10:2 He told them, “The harvest is truly great, but the workers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest.
10:3 Go now – I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
10:4 Take with you no money belt, nor a bag or shoes, and greet no one on the way.
10:5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace1 be to this house.’
10:6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him – but if not, it will return to you.
10:7 Stay in this house and eat and drink whatever they give you – because wages get paid to workers. Don’t move from house to house.
10:8 Whenever you enter a village and they welcome you, eat what is set before you.
10:9 Heal those who are sick and tell them, ‘The sanctuary of God is available to you.’2
10:10 But whenever you enter a village and they don’t welcome you, go out into its streets and say –
10:11 ‘Because of you, we are wiping off the dust of your village that clings to our feet. But know that the sanctuary of God is readily available.’
10:12 I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom at that time3 than for that village.”
10:13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the powerful miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have had a change of heart long ago – sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
10:14 Yet it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
10:15 And you Capernaum, you won’t be glorified in heaven, will you. You will be taken down to hell.
10:16 One who listens to you listens to me; and one who rejects you rejects me. And one who rejects me rejects the One who sent me.”
10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Master, by your name, even the demons obeyed us.”
10:18 Thus he replied, “I watched the opposer fall from heaven like lightning.
10:19 Just consider, I gave you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions – and above all, the power of the enemy. Thus nothing will injure you.
10:20 Nonetheless, don’t rejoice that the spirits obey you. Rejoice that your names are enrolled in the spiritual realm.”
10:21 At this time, he rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit. He said, “I praise you Creator, LORD of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and have revealed them to the humble. Yes, LORD, because this is the way that pleases you.
10:22 All these have been given to me by my LORD. No one knows who the Representative is except the Creator – and who the Creator is except the Representative and anyone whom the Representative wants to reveal Him to.
10:23 He turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see.”
10:24 I tell you, many prophets and kings would have liked to perceive those things you are perceiving and did not – and to hear the things you are hearing but didn’t hear them.”
10:25 Then a scribe stood up and tested him. He asked, “Teacher, what should I do to receive everlasting life?”
10:26 He replied to him, “What is written in the Scripture? How do you read it?”
10:27 The man replied, “’Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;’ and ‘Love your neighbor4 as yourself.’”5
10:28 Jesus replied back, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.”
10:29 But wanting to show his righteousness, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
10:30 Jesus replied, “A person was walking down from Jerusalem to Jericho and was assailed by robbers. They stripped him and beat him and ran off, leaving him half dead.
10:31 Then by chance a priest was walking on that road and when he saw him, he crossed to the other side and passed by.
10:32 Similarly, a Levite approached and saw him and also crossed to the other side and passed by.
10:33 But a Samaritan who was traveling came upon him and when he saw him, he felt compassion.
10:34 Then he approached him and bandaged his wounds and poured oil and wine on them. He then mounted him upon his own mule and brought him to an inn and cared for him.
10:35 The next day he took out two denariis and gave them to the innkeeper and told him, ‘Take care of him and whatever more you spend I will repay you when I return.’
10:36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?”
10:37 The man replied, “The one who showed mercy towards him.” Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”
10:38 Later as they were traveling, he entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
10:39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Master’s feet listening to his teachings.
10:40 But Martha was distracted by all her preparations. She approached him and said, “Master, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? So tell her to help me.”
10:42 Then the Master replied, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and bothered about so many things.
10:43 Yet only one thing is necessary. Mary has made an excellent choice, which will never be taken from her.”
Footnotes:
1. Verse 10:5. The Greek word εἰρήνη (eirēnē) does mean “peace,” but the kind of “peace” Jesus is speaking of relates to spiritual tranquility – bringing one's devotional consciousness into the house.
2. Verse 10:9 and 10:11. These statements also reflect the teachings of John the Baptist, as indicated in Matthew 3:2.
3. Verse 10:12. The Greek phrase, ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ refers to “that day” or “that time” – in context referring to their time of death, when they must face God. Jesus utilized this phrase, ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ elsewhere as he referred to the time of death. This is confirmed in verse 10:14 – “at the judgment.”
4. Verse 10:27. The Greek word πλησίον (plēsion) also means “any other person and where two are concerned - the other.” This indicates that one’s love for others should not be limited to a neighbor.
5. Verse 10:27. He is referencing Moses’ statements:
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV)
“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor [any another person] as yourself. I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18 NIV)
