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Luke 10

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Jesus Commissions the Seventy 1–12

1
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. ​
2
Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. ​
3
Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4
Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. ​
5
And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. ​
6
And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. ​
8
And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9
And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. ​
10
But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11
Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. ​
12
But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. ​

Woes to Unrepentant Cities 13–16

13
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ​
14
But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
15
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. ​
16
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. ​

The Seventy Return with Joy 17–24

17
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. ​
18
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. ​
19
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. ​
20
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. ​
21
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. ​
22
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. ​
23
And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
24
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. ​

The Good Samaritan 25–37

25
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ​
26
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. ​
28
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
29
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? ​
30
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. ​
31
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ​
32
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, ​
34
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ​
35
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. ​

Mary and Martha 38–42

38
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ​
39
And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. ​
40
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. ​
41
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Luke 10

Verse 1

other seventy also — 'Other' (heteros) marks them as a company distinct from the twelve of Luke 9:1. Seventy is the number of the elders of Israel who went up with Moses (Ex 24:1) and received the Spirit (Num 11:24–25). They go 'before his face', as the messengers of Luke 9:52 did.

Verse 2

the Lord of the harvest — The same saying is given in Matt 9:38, after he saw the multitudes 'as sheep having no shepherd'. 'Labourers' is ergates, a field-worker. 'Send forth' is ekballo, to thrust out, the verb used of casting out devils: the Lord of the harvest must himself send the workers, so they are first told to pray.

Verse 4

salute no man by the way — This shows the haste of the errand: Elisha told Gehazi, 'if thou meet any man, salute him not' (2 Kings 4:29). 'Scrip' (pera) is the traveller's food-wallet. Christ later asked, 'When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing?' and they answered, 'Nothing' (Luke 22:35).

Verse 5

Peace be to this house — Eirene, the ordinary greeting, as in 'Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house' (1 Sam 25:6). Here it is spoken by Christ's messengers and carries what they bring; v.6 and Matt 10:13 treat it as something that can rest on a house or return to the speaker.

Verse 7

the labourer is worthy of his hire — Misthos is wages. Paul quotes the saying as Scripture, 'The labourer is worthy of his reward' (1 Tim 5:18), for the support of those who labour in the word. 'Go not from house to house' keeps them in the first house that received them, not seeking better entertainment.

Verse 9

The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you — Eggizo, to draw near. The healing is the sign of the message, and the twelve had the same pairing: 'preach' with 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand' (Matt 10:7) and 'Heal the sick' (Matt 10:8). The announcement is repeated in v.11 to the town that refuses them, so that rejection does not remove the fact.

Verse 11

the very dust of your city — Koniortos, dust blown about. Wiping it off is a testimony against the town (Luke 9:5). Paul and Barnabas did it at Antioch in Pisidia: 'they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium' (Acts 13:51). The message still stands: 'the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you'.

Verse 12

more tolerable… for Sodom — Anektoteros, more endurable. Sodom's overthrow is told in Gen 19. Matt 10:15 gives the same saying for 'the day of judgment'; the greater light received brings the greater account, as Luke 12:48 says: 'unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required'.

Verse 13

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! — The miracles ('mighty works', dunamis) were done in Galilean towns; Matt 11:20 calls them 'the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not'. Tyre and Sidon were the Gentile cities denounced in Isa 23 and Ezek 26–28, yet are set above these towns at the judgment (v.14).

Verse 15

exalted to heaven — Capernaum, where he 'came and dwelt' (Matt 4:13), is addressed in words that echo Isaiah's king of Babylon: 'I will ascend into heaven' and 'Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell' (Isa 14:13, 15). 'Hell' is hades, the unseen place of the dead. The privilege of his presence becomes the measure of the fall.

Verse 16

He that heareth you heareth me — The messenger carries the sender's authority, a line Christ repeats in John 13:20 and Matt 10:40. 'Despiseth' is atheteo, to set aside, used four times in this verse; the chain runs from the seventy to Christ to 'him that sent me', so refusing the message reaches God.

Verse 17

even the devils are subject unto us — 'Subject' is hypotasso, to be placed under. Only the twelve had been told of power over devils (Luke 9:1); the seventy find it extends to them, and they ascribe it 'through thy name'. Their report opens the answer of vv.18–20.

Verse 18

I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven — Theoreo, to watch, in the past continuous, which means he was watching as the seventy preached. The fall matches his later words, 'now shall the prince of this world be cast out' (John 12:31), and the final casting out of Rev 12:9. The seventy's victories are the visible edge of it.

Verse 19

power to tread on serpents and scorpions — Exousia is delegated authority, and 'tread' (pateo) recalls Ps 91:13, 'Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder'. The enemy's 'power' (dunamis) is placed beneath their feet; Paul uses the same picture in Rom 16:20, 'the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly'.

Verse 20

your names are written in heaven — The ground of joy is moved from power over spirits to a place in heaven's register. Heb 12:23 speaks of the church 'of the firstborn, which are written in heaven', and Rev 20:15 of 'the book of life'. Even casting out devils in his name can coexist with being unknown to him (Matt 7:22–23).

Verse 21

Jesus rejoiced in spirit — Agalliao, to leap for joy, here of Christ himself; the words of thanks are given in Matt 11:25 also. 'Babes' (nepios) are infants, set against 'the wise and prudent'. Revelation rests on the Father's will: 'for so it seemed good in thy sight' (eudokia, good pleasure).

Verse 22

All things are delivered to me of my Father — Paradidomai, handed over. Knowledge of the Father is mediated by the Son alone, as John 1:18 says: 'the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.' The Son 'will reveal' (apokalupto) him to whom he chooses, the verb of v.21.

Verse 24

many prophets and kings have desired to see — Prophets 'enquired and searched diligently' of the salvation to come (1 Pet 1:10); Abraham 'rejoiced to see my day' (John 8:56); the Old Testament believers 'having seen them afar off' (Heb 11:13). What they saw from afar the disciples saw and heard in person.

Verse 25

a certain lawyer… tempted him — Nomikos, one learned in the law of Moses. 'Tempted' is ekpeirazo, to test thoroughly. The question is the one a ruler later puts in Luke 18:18, 'what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' The verb 'inherit' (kleronomeo) treats life as an inheritance received from another.

Verse 27

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God — The first clause is Deut 6:5, which names heart, soul and might; the second is Lev 19:18, 'thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself'. Here 'strength' (ischus) and 'mind' (dianoia) are both given, as in Mark 12:30, where Christ himself joins the two commandments.

Verse 29

willing to justify himself — Dikaioo, to declare righteous. The lawyer had answered rightly (v.28) yet seeks to set limits on the command. Christ later says of such men, 'Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts' (Luke 16:15). 'Neighbour' (plesion) means one near.

Verse 30

went down from Jerusalem to Jericho — The direction is descent from the city on its height; Luke 19:28 speaks of 'ascending up to Jerusalem' on the same road. 'Thieves' is lestes, brigands who plunder by violence. The man is stripped, wounded and left 'half dead' (hemithanes), unable to help himself.

Verse 31

passed by on the other side — Antiparerchomai, to go along opposite; it occurs only here and in v.32. 'By chance' (sunkuria) is a coincidence found only in this verse. A priest, whose office was to serve in the temple, sees the man and keeps to the far side of the road.

Verse 33

a certain Samaritan — 'The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans' (John 4:9). The hero of the story is thus the man the lawyer's people shunned. 'Had compassion' is splagchnizomai, to be moved in the inward parts, the verb used of Christ at the widow's bier (Luke 7:13). He acts where the priest and Levite only looked.

Verse 34

pouring in oil and wine — Oil was used to soothe and wine to cleanse the wounds, after he had 'bound up' (katadeo) them. 'Inn' is pandocheion, a public lodging, and 'took care' (epimeleomai) is the verb used again in v.35. The care covers treatment, transport, lodging and attendance. Ps 147:3 speaks of the LORD who 'bindeth up their wounds'.

Verse 37

He that shewed mercy on him — The lawyer answers without saying 'Samaritan'. 'Mercy' is eleos, active compassion, the thing Mic 6:8 names with justice: 'to do justly, and to love mercy'. The question changes from 'who is my neighbour?' to who was neighbour, and the command is 'Go, and do thou likewise'.

Verse 38

Martha received him into her house — Hypodechomai, to welcome under one's roof; the house is hers. John 11:1 places Mary and Martha in Bethany, and John 11:5 says 'Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.' The scene comes straight after the lawyer's question about loving God and neighbour.

Verse 39

sat at Jesus' feet — Parakathizo, to sit beside. The posture is the learner's: Paul was 'brought up… at the feet of Gamaliel' (Acts 22:3), and the healed man sat 'at the feet of Jesus' (Luke 8:35). Mary listens to 'his word' (logos) while the house is full of work.

Verse 40

cumbered about much serving — Perispao, to be dragged around, pulled in different directions; the 'serving' (diakonia) is the same word-family as 'serve' later in the verse. Martha's work is hospitality to him; the fault is the distraction. Her appeal, 'dost thou not care', is addressed to the Lord himself.

Verse 42

that good part — Meris is a share or portion, as in Ps 16:5, 'The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance.' 'One thing is needful' echoes Ps 27:4, 'One thing have I desired of the LORD… that I may dwell in the house of the LORD'. Mary 'hath chosen' (eklegomai) it, and it 'shall not be taken away'.