Jesus Sends the Seventy

Jesus appointed seventy others and sent them out two by two to the places he was planning to visit. He told them the harvest was plentiful but the workers were few, so they should pray for more workers. Their mission would not be easy, because he was sending them out like lambs among wolves.

They were to travel simply and stay focused. Jesus told them not to carry extra supplies or stop for greetings on the road. When they entered a house, they were to speak peace there. If they were welcomed, they were to remain in that home, receive what was given to them, and not move from house to house.

In towns that received them, they were to eat what was set before them, heal the sick, and announce that God's kingdom had come near. If a town would not receive them, they were to go into its streets and wipe off its dust as a warning. Jesus said rejecting this message was a serious matter, and he warned Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for not responding to the mighty works done among them.

The seventy returned with joy. They said that even the demons were subject to them in Jesus' name. Jesus told them he had seen Satan fall like lightning from heaven, and that he had given them authority over the enemy's power. But he told them not to make this their main joy. They should rejoice that their names were written in heaven.

At that same time, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and thanked the Father, Lord of heaven and earth. He said these things had been hidden from the wise and understanding and revealed to little children. Then he told the disciples that the Father and the Son know one another in a unique way, and that the Son reveals the Father. He said the disciples were blessed to see and hear what many prophets and kings had longed for.