The Mission of the Seventy-Two

10:1 After this1 the Lord appointed seventy-two2 others and sent them on ahead of him two by two into every town3 and place where he himself was about to go. 10:2 He4 said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest5 to send out6 workers into his harvest. 10:3 Go! I7 am sending you out like lambs8 surrounded by wolves.9 10:4 Do not carry10 a money bag,11 a traveler’s bag,12 or sandals, and greet no one on the road.13 10:5 Whenever14 you enter a house,15 first say, ‘May peace16 be on this house!’ 10:6 And if a peace-loving person17 is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you.18 10:7 Stay19 in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you,20 for the worker deserves his pay.21 Do not move around from house to house. 10:8 Whenever22 you enter a town23 and the people24 welcome you, eat what is set before you. 10:9 Heal25 the sick in that town26 and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God27 has come upon28 you!’ 10:10 But whenever29 you enter a town30 and the people31 do not welcome32 you, go into its streets33 and say, 10:11 ‘Even the dust of your town34 that clings to our feet we wipe off35 against you.36 Nevertheless know this: The kingdom of God has come.’37 10:12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom38 than for that town!39

10:13 “Woe to you, Chorazin!40 Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if41 the miracles42 done in you had been done in Tyre43 and Sidon,44 they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 10:14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you! 10:15 And you, Capernaum,45 will you be exalted to heaven?46 No, you will be thrown down to Hades!47

10:16 “The one who listens48 to you listens to me,49 and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects50 the one who sent me.”51

10:17 Then52 the seventy-two53 returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to54 us in your name!”55 10:18 So56 he said to them, “I saw57 Satan fall58 like lightning59 from heaven. 10:19 Look, I have given you authority to tread60 on snakes and scorpions61 and on the full force of the enemy,62 and nothing will63 hurt you. 10:20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that64 the spirits submit to you, but rejoice65 that your names stand written66 in heaven.”

10:21 On that same occasion67 Jesus68 rejoiced69 in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise70 you, Father, Lord71 of heaven and earth, because72 you have hidden these things from the wise73 and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.74 10:22 All things have been given to me by my Father.75 No one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides76 to reveal him.”

10:23 Then77 Jesus78 turned79 to his80 disciples and said privately, “Blessed81 are the eyes that see what you see! 10:24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings longed to see82 what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”