Jesus Sends the Seventy-Two

Jesus appoints seventy-two others, sends them two by two, and frames their task as harvest work under the Lord’s direction. He describes their vulnerability and gives them a stripped-down way of travel.

A¹fter this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. ²And 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. ³Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴Carry no purse or bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the road.

They are told to offer peace to each house, receive the peace of a person fit for it, stay where they are welcomed, and accept what is set before them. Their work rests on hospitality and steady presence.

⁵Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. ⁷Stay 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. ⁸If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you.

They are to heal the sick and announce that the kingdom of God has drawn near. If a town refuses them, they are to leave a public testimony and speak the same nearness of the kingdom over that place.

⁹Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ ¹⁰But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare, ¹¹‘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.’ ¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.