Luke 10 · WEB
Aa

Luke 10

Jesus sends out the seventy

Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he was about to come. Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest. Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house. Into whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ But into whatever city you enter and they don’t receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Jesus appoints seventy others and sends them in pairs ahead of him to every town he plans to visit. They are to travel light, accept hospitality, heal the sick and announce that God's kingdom has come near; towns that reject them face a judgment worse than Sodom's. He pronounces woes on Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum for not repenting.

What does this mean?

"Peace be to this house" was a normal greeting that also carried a blessing; a "son of peace" is someone open to it. "Hell" (KJV) in verse 15 translates Hades, the realm of the dead. "Sackcloth and ashes" were signs of mourning and repentance.

Historical context

Manuscripts differ between seventy and seventy-two. Both numbers may echo the list of the world's nations in Genesis 10 (seventy in the Hebrew, seventy-two in the ancient Greek translation) or the seventy elders who helped Moses (Numbers 11:16–25). Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were towns near the north shore of the Sea of Galilee; Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities; Sodom's destruction is told in Genesis 19.

Why does it matter?

Only Luke records this second, larger mission, which many interpreters see as anticipating the mission to all nations in Acts. The harvest is an image of God's final gathering of his people.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

The seventy return with joy

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In that same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”

Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.”

The seventy return delighted that even demons submitted to them in Jesus' name. Jesus says he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven and gives them authority over the enemy, but tells them to rejoice rather that their names are written in heaven. Rejoicing in the Spirit, he thanks the Father for revealing these things to little children rather than the wise, and tells the disciples they are blessed to see what prophets and kings longed to see.

What does this mean?

Serpents and scorpions stand for hostile and evil powers (compare Psalm 91:13). "Babes" (KJV) or "little children" means the unlearned and lowly. Names "written in heaven" draws on the image of a heavenly register of God's people (Daniel 12:1).

Historical context

Interpreters differ on whether Satan's fall describes a vision, the defeat of evil powers through the disciples' mission, or a fall at the beginning of time.

Why does it matter?

Jesus' words about the Father and the Son knowing each other (10:22) are among the strongest statements in the first three Gospels of his unique relationship with God, close to the language of John's Gospel. Matthew has a parallel saying (Matthew 11:25–27).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

The parable of the good Samaritan

Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”

He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?”

He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

An expert in the Law asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, and himself sums up the Law as loving God and loving one's neighbour. Wanting to justify himself, he asks who his neighbour is. Jesus tells of a man beaten by robbers on the road to Jericho, passed by a priest and a Levite, and rescued at great cost by a Samaritan, then asks which of them acted as a neighbour.

What does this mean?

The two commandments come from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. A "Levite" was a member of the tribe of Levi who assisted the priests in the temple. Two "pence" (KJV) were two denarii, about two days' wages.

Historical context

The road from Jerusalem down to Jericho drops about 1,000 metres through roughly 27 km of desert and was notorious for robbers. Samaritans and Jews had been hostile for centuries; a Jewish ruler destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim in the late second century BCE. Interpreters debate whether the priest and Levite feared impurity from a corpse; the parable gives no reason.

Why does it matter?

Jesus turns the question around: not "who qualifies as my neighbour?" but "who acted as one?" The hero belongs to the despised group. The parable is found only in Luke.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Martha and Mary

As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”

Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

A woman named Martha welcomes Jesus into her home. Her sister Mary sits at his feet listening to his teaching, while Martha is distracted by all the work of serving. When Martha asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her, he replies that Martha is anxious about many things, but only one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen the good portion.

What does this mean?

"Cumbered about much serving" (KJV) means overwhelmed by preparing and serving the meal. "That good part" means the good portion, as of a meal.

Historical context

Sitting at a teacher's feet was the posture of a disciple (compare Acts 22:3, where Paul was taught "at the feet of" Gamaliel). Many scholars note that a woman taking this role would have been unusual. John's Gospel also knows sisters named Martha and Mary, and places them in Bethany near Jerusalem (John 11:1).

Why does it matter?

Coming straight after a parable about doing, this scene stresses listening, and interpreters often read the two together. Manuscripts differ slightly in Jesus' reply, some reading "few things are needed, or only one."

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

Chapters

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24

Back to the Gospels

Reading

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Appearance

Verse numbersSmall numerals within the text
About Luke