Luke 10

Listen to Luke 10

Jesus Sends the Seventy-Two

1 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two ^[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. ¹

2 And He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.

3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

4 Carry no purse or bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the road.

5 Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’

6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.

7 Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. ^[b] Do not move around from house to house.

8 If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you.

9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

10 But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare,

11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’

12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Woe to the Unrepentant

13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ²

14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades!

16 Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

The Joyful Return

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”

18 So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving

21 At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight. ³

22 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

23 Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ^[c] and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ^[d]”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.

31 Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, and when he saw him, he had compassion.

34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 The next day he took out two denarii ^[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’

36 Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 “The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Martha and Mary

38 As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message.

40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things.

42 But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”

PREVIOUS Luke 9 NEXT Luke 11

Images for Luke 10

Luke 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

Seventy disciples sent forth. (1-16) The blessedness of Christ's disciples. (17-24) The good Samaritan. (25-37) Jesus at the house of Martha and Mary. (38-42)

Verses 1-16 Christ sent the seventy disciples, two and two, that they might strengthen and encourage one another. The ministry of the gospel calls men to receive Christ as a Prince and a Saviour; and he will surely come in the power of his Spirit to all places whither he sends his faithful servants. But the doom of those who receive the grace of God in vain, will be very fearful Those who despise the faithful ministers of Christ, who think meanly of them, and look scornfully upon them, will be reckoned as despisers of God and Christ.

Verses 17-24 All our victories over Satan, are obtained by power derived from Jesus Christ, and he must have all the praise. But let us beware of spiritual pride, which has been the destruction of many. Our Lord rejoiced at the prospect of the salvation of many souls. It was fit that particular notice should be taken of that hour of joy; there were few such, for He was a man of sorrows: in that hour in which he saw Satan fall, and heard of the good success of his ministers, in that hour he rejoiced. He has ever resisted the proud, and given grace to the humble. The more simply dependent we are on the teaching, help, and blessing of the Son of God, the more we shall know both of the Father and of the Son; the more blessed we shall be in seeing the glory, and hearing the words of the Divine Saviour; and the more useful we shall be made in promoting his cause.

Verses 25-37 If we speak of eternal life, and the way to it, in a careless manner, we take the name of God in vain. No one will ever love God and his neighbour with any measure of pure, spiritual love, who is not made a partaker of converting grace. But the proud heart of man strives hard against these convictions. Christ gave an instance of a poor Jew in distress, relieved by a good Samaritan. This poor man fell among thieves, who left him about to die of his wounds. He was slighted by those who should have been his friends, and was cared for by a stranger, a Samaritan, of the nation which the Jews most despised and detested, and would have no dealings with. It is lamentable to observe how selfishness governs all ranks; how many excuses men will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving others. But the true Christian has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwells in him; Christ's image is renewed in his soul. The parable is a beautiful explanation of the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves, without regard to nation, party, or any other distinction. It also sets forth the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward sinful, miserable men. We were like this poor, distressed traveller. Satan, our enemy, has robbed us, and wounded us: such is the mischief sin has done us. The blessed Jesus had compassion on us. The believer considers that Jesus loved him, and gave his life for him, when an enemy and a rebel; and having shown him mercy, he bids him go and do likewise. It is the duty of us all , in our places, and according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity.

Verses 38-42 A good sermon is not the worse for being preached in a house; and the visits of our friends should be so managed, as to make them turn to the good of their souls. Sitting at Christ's feet, signifies readiness to receive his word, and submission to the guidance of it. Martha was providing for the entertainment of Christ, and those that came with him. Here were respect to our Lord Jesus and right care of her household affairs. But there was something to be blamed. She was for much serving; plenty, variety, and exactness. Worldly business is a snare to us, when it hinders us from serving God, and getting good to our souls. What needless time is wasted, and expense often laid out, even in entertaining professors of the gospel! Though Martha was on this occasion faulty, yet she was a true believer, and in her general conduct did not neglect the one thing needful. The favour of God is needful to our happiness; the salvation of Christ is needful to our safety. Where this is attended to, all other things will be rightly pursued. Christ declared, Mary hath chosen the good part. For one thing is needful, this one thing that she has done, to give up herself to the guidance of Christ. The things of this life will be taken away from us, at the furthest, when we shall be taken away from them; but nothing shall separate from the love of Christ, and a part in that love. Men and devils cannot take it away from us, and God and Christ will not. Let us mind the one thing needful more diligently.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)