Jesus sends out 72 disciples to tell God's message
1 After this, Jesus chose another 72 disciples. He sent them out two by two, to every town and village that he would visit soon. 2 Before they went, he said to them, ‘Many people are ready to believe God's message. They are like crops in a field at harvest time. But there are very few workers to bring in the crops. So pray to God to send out workers. The field and the crops belong to him.’
10:2Jesus says that people are ready to believe God's message, but more people need to go and tell them the good news.
3 Jesus then said, ‘I am sending you out, so go! But listen! You will be like lambs among wild animals. 4 Do not carry a purse or a bag. Do not take extra shoes. When you meet other people on the road, do not stop to say “hello”.
10:4Jesus says that their journey would be dangerous. God will give them everything that they need. And they must hurry.
5 In each town, when you go into a house, first ask God to bless the people there with peace. 6 If someone in the house loves peace, God will bless them with peace. But if nobody there loves peace, God will bless you with peace instead of them. 7 Stay in the same house there until you leave that town. Accept the food and drink that the people in the house give to you. You are working to help them. So they should give you what you need to live. Do not visit different houses to get food.
8 The people may accept you well when you go into a town. Then eat the food that those people give to you. 9 Make the sick people well who are there. Give this message to all the people there: “The kingdom of God has now come near to you.” 10 Sometimes when you go into a town, the people will not accept you. You should then go into the streets of that town and you should say to the people, 11 “There is dirt from your town on our feet. We will clean it off to show that you have not accepted us. God is not happy with you. But listen! You should know that the kingdom of God has come very near.” 12 One day God will punish the people from that town. Yes, he will punish them more than the people who lived in Sodom long ago.’
