Luke 10:1-16
Workers for the Harvest
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1After 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.
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.
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.
13Woe 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.
14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
15And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades!
16Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
Berean Standard Bible
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The Lord appoints seventy-two others and sends them ahead of Him in pairs into every town and place where He is about to go. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, so He tells them to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send workers.
Jesus sends them as lambs among wolves. They are to carry no moneybag, knapsack, or sandals and are not to greet people on the road. When they enter a house, they should first say peace to it and remain there, eating and drinking what is provided.
They are to heal the sick and say that God's kingdom has come near. If a town refuses them, they are to wipe its dust off their feet as a testimony against it. They must still declare that God's kingdom is near. The messengers cannot force a welcome, but rejection does not make their message untrue.
Jesus warns Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum that seeing his miracles without repenting carries grave responsibility. He says the judgment will be more bearable for towns they might consider worse. Receiving much light is no protection if they refuse it. To reject these messengers is to reject Jesus and the One who sent him. The Lord who sends workers to bring healing and peace also takes seriously what people do with his invitation.
Questions
1 How does Jesus send the seventy-two?
AnswerHe sends them in pairs ahead of Him into every town and place where He is about to go.
2 What are they told to pray for?
AnswerThey are told to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers because the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few.
3 What message are they to announce?
AnswerThey are to heal the sick and announce that the kingdom of God has come near.
4 How should they respond when a town refuses them?
AnswerThey should wipe the town's dust from their feet as a testimony against it and declare that God's kingdom is near. Jesus warns of judgment for refusing this message.
What This Means for Us
Jesus' messengers travel lightly, work in pairs, receive hospitality, and leave when refused. The pattern challenges ministry that depends on wealth, isolation, or pressure.
The warnings to the towns are serious, but the disciples are not told to punish rejecters. A household can speak clearly about Christ while leaving judgment to God and treating people with peace.
Prayer
Lord of the harvest, send workers who carry Your peace and truth. Make our household ready to welcome faithful messengers, humble in service, and free from the need to force anyone's response. Amen.