JESUS Sends Out the Seventy-two

       After this THE LORD appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of HIM to every town and place where HE was about to go. 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 field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

       "When you enter a house, first say, '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 in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

       "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of GOD is near you.' But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off 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.

       "Woe to you, Korazin! 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 it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.

       "He who listens to you listens to ME; he who rejects you rejects ME; but he who rejects ME rejects HIM who sent ME."

       The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "LORD, even the demons submit to us in YOUR name."

       HE replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

       At that time JESUS, full of joy through THE HOLY SPIRIT, said, "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 YOUR good pleasure.

       "All things have been committed 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."

       Then HE turned to HIS disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Gospel of Luke: chapter 10, verses 1 - 24