The Sending of the Seventy-Two
After this, the Lord chose seventy-two other followers and sent them out in pairs to go ahead of Him to every town and village He planned to visit. He gave them these instructions: "The harvest is huge, but there aren't enough workers to gather it. So pray to the Lord who owns the harvest, and ask Him to send more workers into His fields. Now go! But understand this—I'm sending you out like lambs walking among wolves. Don't take a money bag, a travel pack, or extra sandals. And don't stop to chat with people you meet on the road. "When you go into someone's house, start by saying, 'Peace be on this house.' If someone there welcomes peace, your blessing will stay with them. But if they don't, your blessing will come back to you. Stay in that same house and eat and drink whatever they give you, because a worker deserves to be paid for his work. Don't keep moving from house to house. "When you enter a town and the people welcome you, eat whatever food they put in front of you. Heal the sick people there and tell them, 'God's kingdom has come near to you.' But if you enter a town and they don't welcome you, go out into their streets and announce this message: 'We're shaking off even the dust from your town that stuck to our feet, and we're doing it as a warning to you. But know this for certain—God's kingdom has come near.' I'm telling you the truth: on the day of judgment, it will be easier for the ancient city of Sodom than for that town."
Woe to Unrepentant Cities
"How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! If the powerful miracles that happened in your cities had instead happened in Tyre and Sidon, those people would have turned from their sins long ago. They would have shown their sorrow by wearing rough cloth and sitting in ashes. But on the day of judgment, it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon to bear their punishment than it will be for you. And you, Capernaum—do you think you will be lifted up to heaven? No! You will be brought down to the place of the dead! Anyone who listens to you listens to me. Anyone who rejects you rejects me. And anyone who rejects me rejects the One who sent me."
The Return of the Seventy-Two
The seventy-two disciples came back to Jesus filled with joy. They said to him, "Lord, even the evil spirits obeyed us when we used your name!" Jesus responded, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a bolt of lightning. Listen carefully—I have given you power to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the forces of the enemy. Nothing will be able to hurt you. But here's what matters most: don't celebrate because the spirits obey you. Instead, be joyful because your names are recorded in heaven."
Jesus Rejoices in the Holy Spirit
At that moment, Jesus was filled with joy by the Holy Spirit. He lifted his voice in prayer and said, "Father, I thank you! You are the Lord who rules over heaven and earth. You have kept these truths hidden from people who think they are wise and educated, but you have shown them to those who are like little children. Yes, Father, this is exactly what pleased you to do." Jesus continued, "My Father has put everything into my hands. No one truly knows who the Son is except the Father. And no one truly knows who the Father is except the Son and those people the Son decides to show him to." Then Jesus turned away from the crowd and spoke quietly to his disciples alone. "You are blessed because your eyes see what they are seeing. I tell you the truth—many prophets and kings throughout history longed to see the things you are seeing right now, but they never got to see them. They wanted to hear the things you are hearing, but they never got to hear them."
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
One day a religious lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to receive eternal life?" Jesus replied, "What does the Law say? How do you understand it?" The man answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." "You have answered correctly," Jesus said. "Do this and you will live." But the lawyer wanted to make himself look good, so he asked Jesus, "And who exactly is my neighbor?" Jesus responded to his question with a story: "A man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho when robbers attacked him. They stripped off his clothes, beat him severely, and left him lying on the road half dead. "It happened that a priest was traveling down that same road. When he saw the injured man, he crossed to the other side and kept walking. Later, a Levite came to that place and saw him too, but he also crossed to the other side and passed by. "But then a Samaritan man came traveling along that road. When he saw the wounded man, his heart was filled with compassion. He went over to him and carefully bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them to help them heal. Then he lifted the man onto his own donkey, took him to an inn, and cared for him through the night. "The next morning, the Samaritan took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Take care of this man,' he said. 'When I come back this way, I will pay you for any extra costs.'" Then Jesus asked the lawyer, "Which of these three men do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?" The lawyer replied, "The one who showed mercy to him." Jesus told him, "Go and do the same."
Mary and Martha
As Jesus and his disciples were traveling, they came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to them and welcomed Jesus inside. Martha had a sister named Mary, who sat down right at Jesus's feet and listened carefully to everything he was teaching. Meanwhile, Martha was running around trying to get everything ready for their guests. She was busy with all the work that needed to be done to prepare the meal and take care of everyone. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. She went to Jesus and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all this work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!" But Jesus answered her gently, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about so many things. But only one thing is really needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and no one will take that away from her."