The Seventy-Two

Jesus prepared to visit a new area. And so, from His disciples, Jesus appointed seventy-two others and sent them, two by two, ahead of Him to every town and place in that area. 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. 

 

“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse or bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the road. 

 

“Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 

 

“If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ 

 

“But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare, ‘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.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.” 

 

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed because they did not repent. “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. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

 

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

 

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

 

So, Jesus told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

 

See Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 10:1-20

 

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