The Father Sends out Seventy-Two
Seventy-two sent by the Father of the harvest return thrilled that demons obey them, and Jesus tells them to rejoice at something else instead. A lawyer's question about who counts as a neighbor is answered with a Samaritan on a road. It ends in an argument between two sisters.
10 1After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two more, sending them ahead of him two by two, into every town and place he himself intended to go.
2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but workers are few. So ask the Father of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. 3Go! Look, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking what's offered, for the worker deserves his wage. Don't move from house to house. 8Whenever you enter a town and they welcome you, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick there and tell them, 'The kingdom of our Father has come near to you.' 10But when you enter a town that doesn't welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11'Even your town's dust stuck to our feet, we wipe off against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of our Father has come near.' 12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! Had the miracles done among you happened in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? You'll be brought down to the grave. 16Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."
17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
18He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, and over all the enemy's power—nothing will harm you. 20But don't rejoice that the spirits submit to you—rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
21At that moment Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "Father, Sovereign of heaven and earth, I praise you—you hid these things from the wise and clever, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this pleased you."
22"All has been given to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is but the Father, or who the Father is but the Son—and whoever the Son chooses to reveal him to."
23Then turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24For I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see and never saw it, to hear what you hear and never heard it."
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25A lawyer stood and tested him: "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"
27He answered, "Love your Father with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
28He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live."
29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30Jesus said, "A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who stripped and beat him, then left him half dead. 31Now, by chance a priest was going down that road; seeing him, he passed by on the other side. 32So too a Levite came to the place, saw him, and passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan traveling that road found him, and seeing him, was moved with compassion. 34He went to him, bandaged his wounds, poured on oil and wine, put him on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him. Whatever more you spend, I will repay when I return.' 36Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"
37He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Martha and Mary
38As they traveled, Jesus entered a village. A woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40But Martha was distracted by all the serving. She came to him and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me."
41But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good share; it won't be taken from her."
