1 Now after these things [happened] the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples [Note: Some ancient manuscripts say "seventy." This group would have been in addition to the twelve. See Luke 9:1], and sent them two by two on ahead of Him into every town and locality that He planned to visit.
2 And He said to them, "There is certainly plenty to harvest, but there are [too] few people to do the work. You should pray to the Lord of the harvest to send [more] workers out into the field to gather His crop.
3 [So], go on; See, I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.
4 Do not carry a money belt, or a traveling bag [for personal belongings] or shoes; and do not extend [elaborate] greetings to anyone along the way.
5 And whatever house you enter, first say, 'Let peace be upon this household.'
6 And if a son of peace is there [i.e., a peace-loving person], your [request for] peace will rest upon him. But if he is not [a peace-loving person], your [blessing of] peace will return to [rest on] you.
7 And you should remain in that same house [i.e., the peace-loving one], eating and drinking whatever they serve you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move from house to house [i.e., wasting time].
8 And into whatever town you enter and are welcomed, eat whatever is placed in front of you,
9 and heal the sick people who live there. Say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
10 But whatever town you enter that does not welcome you, go out into its streets and say [to them],
11 We are wiping off even the dust of your city that has stuck to our feet [in protest] against you. Yet you should know this, that the kingdom of God has come near [to you].'
12 I tell you, the people of Sodom will be shown more leniency on that day [i.e., the day of judgment] than that town will receive.
13 "It is too bad for you, Chorazin! It is too bad for you, Bethsaida! For if the powerful miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which were performed in your presence, they would have repented long ago by sitting in ashes and wearing sackcloth. [Note: This sackcloth was a coarse cloth made of goat hair and indicated deep remorse or mourning].
14 But Tyre and Sidon will be shown more leniency in the judgment [day] than you will.
15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up [as high] as heaven? [Certainly not], you will be brought down to the unseen place of departed spirits [i.e., you will become obscure or obliterated as a city].
16 The person who listens to you, [actually] listens to me. And the person who rejects you, [actually] rejects me. And the person who rejects me, [actually] rejects Him who sent me [i.e., God]."
17 So, the seventy-two disciples returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the evil spirits submitted to us in your name [i.e., by your authority]."
18 And Jesus said to them, "I saw Satan falling from heaven as lightning.
19 See, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions [i.e., to receive protection from accidental contact with venomous creatures. See Acts 28:5] and [to have authority] over all the power of the enemy [i.e., Satan. See verse 18]. And nothing at all will hurt you.
20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice over the [evil] spirits submitting to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven [i.e., in the book of life. See Rev. 3:5; Heb. 12:23]."
21 At that very time Jesus rejoiced in [the power of] the Holy Spirit, and said [in prayer], "I praise you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you concealed these things [i.e., His divine revelations] from those [claiming to be] wise and intelligent and have revealed them to babies [i.e., to simple, sincere, common people]. Yes, Father, this was pleasing to you.
22 Everything has been handed over to me by my Father and no one knows the Son except the Father. And [no one knows] the Father except the Son and whatever person the Son wants to reveal Him to."
23 Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said privately, "The eyes that see the things you see are [truly] blessed,
24 for I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see the things that you see, but did not [get to] see them. And [they wanted] to hear the things that you hear, but did not [get to] hear them."
25 Just then a certain teacher of the law of Moses stood up and [attempted to] test Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit [never ending] life?"
27 And the man answered Him, [Deut. 6:5], "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind." And [Lev. 19:18 says], " [You must love] your neighbor just as [you love] yourself."
28 Then Jesus said to him, "You have answered correctly; [if] you do this, you will live" [i.e., forever. See verse 25].
29 But, wanting to justify himself, the teacher of the law of Moses asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Jesus answered him, "A certain man was traveling down from Jerusalem to Jericho [Note: This was a town about eighteen miles northeast of Jerusalem], when he was attacked by robbers, who stripped him [of his clothing and belongings] and beat him up, then went away leaving him half dead.
31 And it just happened that a certain priest was traveling down that [same] road, and when he saw the [injured] man, he went around him on the opposite side of the road.
32 In the same way, a Levite [Note: Levites were assistants to the priests], when coming to that place and seeing the [injured] man, also went around him on the opposite side [of the road].
33 But [then] a certain Samaritan [Note: This was a person despised by the Jews and regarded by them as a 'half-breed'], as he traveled along, came to where the [injured] man was [lying], and upon seeing him [lying there], felt deep pity [for him].
34 So, he went over to him, poured oil and wine on him [i.e., as emergency medical treatment], then bandaged his wounds, placed him on his own animal, and took him to a lodge where he took care of him.
35 Then the next day he gave the lodge keeper two coins [Note: These coins amounted to two days of a farm laborer's pay, or about $140 in 1994] and told him, 'Take care of this [injured] man; and whatever more you have to spend on him I will repay you when I come back [this way] again.'
36 [Now] which of these three men do you think acted like a neighbor to the man attacked by the robbers?"
37 And the teacher of the law of Moses said, "The person who showed pity on him." Then Jesus replied, "You go and do the same thing."
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village [i.e., Bethany. See John 11:1], and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister named Mary who was also sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said.
40 But Martha was preoccupied with all the preparations [i.e., for entertaining her beloved guest] and came up to Jesus and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Ask her to help me."