Sent Two by Two

1After these things, the Lord appointed seventy-two others also, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

2And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that he would send out workers into his harvest.”

3Go; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

4Do not carry a money bag, a travel bag, or sandals, and greet no one along the road.

5Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’

6And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you.

7Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house.

8And into whatever city you enter, if they receive you, eat what is set before you,

9And heal the sick in it, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

10But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,

11Even the dust from your city that clung to our feet, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this: the kingdom of God has come near.

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

13Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works that happened among you had happened in Tyre and Sidon, long ago they would have reoriented toward God, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

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

15And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades.

16The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me; but the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me.

17Then the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

18And he said to them, “I was watching Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

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

20Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been written in the heavens.

21In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, because this was well-pleasing in your sight.”

22All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

23And turning to the disciples privately, he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.”

24For 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.