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Luke 10 · Berean Standard Bible

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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.” ¹⁷The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.” ¹⁸So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. ²⁰Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” ²¹At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight. ²²All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” ²³Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” ²⁵One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” ²⁷He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ²⁸“You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.” ²⁹But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³²So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³³But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’ ³⁶Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” ³⁷“The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” ³⁸As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. ³⁹She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!” ⁴¹“Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things. ⁴²But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Berean Standard Bible · public domain. More versions and languages in the Reading Plan.

Luke

Luke 10

Sent as Lambs Among Wolves: The Harvest, the Neighbor, and the Heart of Discipleship

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Objective

To reveal Jesus’ commissioning of the seventy disciples for mission, the nature of kingdom labor, the call to mercy and love exemplified in the Good Samaritan, and the contrast between active listening to the Word and distracted service.

Overview

Luke 10 unfolds with Jesus sending seventy disciples ahead of Him to every city and place He intended to visit. They are sent as vulnerable lambs among wolves, equipped with a message of peace and the nearness of God's kingdom. The chapter moves from mission instructions to the return of the seventy rejoicing in spiritual authority, to Jesus’ teaching about true neighborly love through the parable of the Good Samaritan. It closes with a poignant scene contrasting Martha’s busy service with Mary’s attentive listening at Jesus’ feet, highlighting the priority of the Word.

Detailed Analysis

Event Description

After previous ministry events, Jesus appoints seventy others, sending them two by two into every city and place He plans to visit. He describes the harvest as plentiful but the laborers few, urging prayer for more workers. They are sent vulnerably, like lambs among wolves, without purse, scrip, or shoes, instructed to offer peace first to each house. If welcomed, they stay, eat, and heal the sick, proclaiming the kingdom of God is near. If rejected, they shake off the dust as a testimony against that city. This commissioning emphasizes dependence on God, urgency of the mission, and the reality of opposition.

Central Themes

Urgency and abundance of the kingdom harvest

Vulnerability and trust in God’s provision

Peace as a kingdom greeting

Rejection and judgment as consequences of response

Healing and proclamation as signs of the kingdom

Cultural & Historical Context

The number seventy recalls Israel’s nations and the sending of elders in the Old Testament (Numbers 11:16-25), symbolizing a broad mission. Traveling light without provisions signals total reliance on God and hospitality of others, a radical trust in divine provision amid hostile environments. The imagery of lambs among wolves evokes innocence and danger, preparing disciples for spiritual opposition.

Key Verse

Luke 10:2

Vivid Artistic Descriptions

The Sending of the Seventy and the Mission Charge (Verses 1–12)

A vast golden field stretching beyond the horizon under a wide sky, ripe for harvest. In the foreground, seventy disciples step out two by two, lightly clothed, barefoot, carrying no provisions, their faces a mixture of resolve and vulnerability. Wolves lurk in shadowed thickets beyond the field’s edge, symbolizing danger. Rays of dawn light break through clouds, casting a hopeful glow on their path.

The Return of the Seventy and Jesus’ Rejoicing (Verses 17–24)

A radiant scene where the seventy return, faces alight with joy, some raising hands in victory. Above them, a brilliant flash of lightning descends from a darkened heaven, symbolizing Satan’s fall. Jesus stands with uplifted hands, eyes shining with gratitude and solemn joy. Around Him, a gentle light bathes the humble disciples, while shadows retreat.

The Lawyer’s Question and the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Verses 25–37)

A rugged road winding through a rocky, sunlit valley. A wounded man lies half-hidden among stones, bloodied and helpless. A priest and Levite pass by on opposite sides, their faces averted. Approaching tenderly is a Samaritan, his face marked by compassion, kneeling to bind wounds with oil and wine. In the background, a distant inn glows warmly, a beacon of care.

Martha and Mary: The Choice of the Good Part (Verses 38–42)

An intimate home interior bathed in soft light. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, eyes fixed on Him, serene and attentive. Martha stands nearby, hands busy with serving, her face etched with concern and distraction. Jesus looks gently toward Martha, His expression full of grace and invitation. The contrast of stillness and motion fills the room with tension and peace.

Song

Luke 10 Song

Verse 1

Sent out two by two, into the harvest field, Lambs among the wolves, with no sword to wield. Carrying peace, no purse or shoe, Trusting the Father to see them through.

Verse 2

Seventy return with joy and might, Demons tremble at the Savior’s light. Yet joy is found not in power’s sway, But in the names written where angels stay.

Verse 3

Martha serves with anxious hands, Mary listens, heart that understands. One good part chosen, never lost, Sitting at Jesus’ feet, counting no cost.

Chorus

Oh, the kingdom is near, the harvest is great, Laborers few, but we cannot wait. Go with courage, go with love, Guided and guarded from heaven above.

Bridge

Who is my neighbor? The question rings, Not just the kin, but the heart that brings Mercy and grace where none would dare, The Samaritan’s love laid bare.

Final Chorus

Oh, the kingdom is near, the harvest is great, Laborers few, but we cannot wait. Go with courage, go with love, Guided and guarded from heaven above.

Practical Application

Personal Life

Embrace vulnerability and dependence on God in your daily mission and relationships.

Prioritize listening to Jesus’ Word over anxious busyness.

Rejoice in your salvation and identity as one whose name is written in heaven.

Community & Society

Extend mercy beyond familiar boundaries, reaching out to those considered outsiders or enemies.

Support and pray for laborers in the harvest, recognizing the spiritual battle involved.

Cultivate spaces where teaching and listening to God’s Word are valued alongside service.

Global Perspective

Recognize the global harvest field as ripe, calling for cross-cultural mission and compassion.

Challenge societal prejudices by embodying the Good Samaritan’s love on a broad scale.

Advocate for peace and healing in communities afflicted by violence and rejection.

Conclusion

Luke 10 summons the disciple to a mission marked by vulnerability, urgent proclamation, and compassionate action. Jesus sends laborers into a ripe but hostile harvest, promising authority over evil and joy rooted in salvation. The parable of the Good Samaritan redefines neighborly love as mercy crossing boundaries. Finally, the contrast between Martha and Mary invites choosing the enduring good of attentive relationship with Christ over distracted service. This chapter calls the church to embody peace, mercy, and faithful listening as hallmarks of the kingdom come near.