The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go.
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After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
2 He gave them this charge: "What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.
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And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
3 "On your way! But be careful - this is hazardous work. You're like lambs in a wolf pack.
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Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
4 "Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage. "Don't loiter and make small talk with everyone you meet along the way.
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Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.
5 "When you enter a home, greet the family, 'Peace.'
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Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house! ’
6 If your greeting is received, then it's a good place to stay. But if it's not received, take it back and get out. Don't impose yourself.
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And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
7 "Stay at one home, taking your meals there, for a worker deserves three square meals. Don't move from house to house, looking for the best cook in town.
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And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
8 "When you enter a town and are received, eat what they set before you,
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Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.
9 heal anyone who is sick, and tell them, 'God's kingdom is right on your doorstep!'
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Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you. ’
10 "When you enter a town and are not received, go out in the street and say,
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But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say,
11 'The only thing we got from you is the dirt on our feet, and we're giving it back. Did you have any idea that God's kingdom was right on your doorstep?'
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‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near. ’
12 Sodom will have it better on Judgment Day than the town that rejects you.
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I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13 "Doom, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had been given half the chances given you, they'd have been on their knees long ago, repenting and crying for mercy.
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“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14 Tyre and Sidon will have it easy on Judgment Day compared to you.
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But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
15 "And you, Capernaum! Do you think you're about to be promoted to heaven? Think again. You're on a mud slide to hell.
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And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.
16 "The one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me."
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“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me. ”
17 The seventy came back triumphant. "Master, even the demons danced to your tune!"
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The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name! ”
18 Jesus said, "I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky.
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And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 See what I've given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you.
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Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
20 All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you - that's the agenda for rejoicing."
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Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. ”
21 At that, Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. "I thank you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
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In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, 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 such was your gracious will.
22 "I've been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is. The Son can introduce the Father to anyone he wants to."
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All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ”
23 He then turned in a private aside to his disciples. "Fortunate the eyes that see what you're seeing!
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Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!
24 There are plenty of prophets and kings who would have given their right arm to see what you are seeing but never got so much as a glimpse, to hear what you are hearing but never got so much as a whisper." Defining "Neighbor"
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For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. ”
25 Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"
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And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ”
26 He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"
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He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it? ”
27 He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence - and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."
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And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. ”
28 "Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live."
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And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live. ”
29 Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?"
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But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor? ”
30 Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead.
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Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side.
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Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
32 Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
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So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 "A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him.
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But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable.
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He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill - I'll pay you on my way back.'
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And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back. ’
36 "What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"
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Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers? ”
37 "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, "Go and do the same."
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He said, “The one who showed him mercy. ” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise. ”
38 As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home.
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Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.
39 She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said.
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And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.
40 But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand."
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But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me. ”
41 The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing.
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But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
42 One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it - it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."
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but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her. ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025