Jesus Sends the Seventy-Two

(Matthew 9:35–38)

10 After 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. 2 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.

3 Go I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Carry no purse [or] bag [or] sandals. Do not greet [anyone] along the road.

5 Whatever house you enter begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are [offered] For the worker [is] worthy of his wages.[fn] {Do} not move around from house to house.

8 If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you. 9 Heal the sick [who are there] and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

10 But 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.’ 12 I tell you it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.