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âLuke 10:1-42 MSGâŹ
[1-2] Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go. He gave them this charge: âWhat a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands. [3] âOn your way! But be carefulâthis is hazardous work. Youâre like lambs in a wolf pack. [4] âTravel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage. âDonât loiter and make small talk with everyone you meet along the way. [5-6] âWhen you enter a home, greet the family, âPeace.â If your greeting is received, then itâs a good place to stay. But if itâs not received, take it back and get out. Donât impose yourself. [7] âStay at one home, taking your meals there, for a worker deserves three square meals. Donât move from house to house, looking for the best cook in town. [8-9] âWhen you enter a town and are received, eat what they set before you, heal anyone who is sick, and tell them, âGodâs kingdom is right on your doorstep!â [10-12] âWhen you enter a town and are not received, go out in the street and say, âThe only thing we got from you is the dirt on our feet, and weâre giving it back. Did you have any idea that Godâs kingdom was right on your doorstep?â Sodom will have it better on Judgment Day than the town that rejects you. [13-14] âDoom, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had been given half the chances given you, theyâd have been on their knees long ago, repenting and crying for mercy. Tyre and Sidon will have it easy on Judgment Day compared to you. [15] âAnd you, Capernaum! Do you think youâre about to be promoted to heaven? Think again. Youâre on a fast track to hell. [16] âThe one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me.â [17] The seventy came back triumphant. âMaster, even the demons danced to your tune!â [18-20] Jesus said, âI know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what Iâve given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in Godâs authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for youâthatâs the agenda for rejoicing.â [21] At that, Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. âI thank you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. [22] âIâve been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is. The Son can introduce the Father to anyone he wants to.â [23-24] He then turned in a private aside to his disciples. âFortunate the eyes that see what youâre seeing! There are plenty of prophets and kings who would have given their right arm to see what you are seeing but never got so much as a glimpse, to hear what you are hearing but never got so much as a whisper.â [25] Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. âTeacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?â [26] He answered, âWhatâs written in Godâs Law? How do you interpret it?â [27] He said, âThat you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligenceâand that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.â [28] âGood answer!â said Jesus. âDo it and youâll live.â [29] Looking for a loophole, he asked, âAnd just how would you define âneighborâ?â [30-32] Jesus answered by telling a story. âThere was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. [33-35] âA Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the manâs condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, âTake good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my billâIâll pay you on my way back.â [36] âWhat do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?â [37] âThe one who treated him kindly,â the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, âGo and do the same.â [38-40] As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. âMaster, donât you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.â [41-42] The Master said, âMartha, dear Martha, youâre fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen itâitâs the main course, and wonât be taken from her.â


Some people believe that Jesus seeing the adversary fall as a bolt of lightning out of the sky is strictly symbolic for the victory over him in this moment, but I think the majority of believers believe that this is a double entandra which also refers to Lucifer’s physical fall from heaven.