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Luke 10

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1Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place, where he was about to come. 2Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest. 3Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way. 5Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house. 8Into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you. 9Heal the sick who are therein, and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ 10But into whatever city you enter, and they don’t receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ 12I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. 13“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. 16Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven. 19Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. 20Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.” 22Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.” 23Turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see, 24for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.” 25Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 27He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.” 29But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, 34came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ 36Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” 37He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” 38As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.” 41Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

World English Bible (public domain)

And he said to him, 'You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.'

Luke 10:27

Summary

In Luke chapter 10, Jesus appoints seventy-two disciples and sends them out in pairs to various towns to prepare the way for His arrival. He instructs them to preach peace and heal the sick, warning them of potential rejection but assuring them of their authority. On their return, they express joy over their success; Jesus affirms their power over demonic forces and praises God for revealing divine truths to the humble and childlike. The chapter continues with the parable of the Good Samaritan, illustrating the command to love one's neighbor through the story of a Samaritan offering compassionate aid to an injured Jew, unlike the priest and Levite who pass by. This parable emphasizes loving action over legalistic boundaries and calls for radical compassion. Finally, the story of Mary and Martha emphasizes the importance of prioritizing relationship with Jesus over busyness, as Mary chooses to listen at Jesus' feet while Martha is distracted by domestic duties. This underscores the theme of choosing 'the better part'—intimacy with Christ—above all else. Theologically, this chapter highlights themes of mission, the kingdom of God, divine revelation to the humble, and the essence of true neighborly love. Through the diverse teachings and parables, Jesus instructs His followers in living out their faith through love and service.

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Chapter outline

How Luke 10 unfolds

  1. Luke 10:1–3 Sending the Seventy-Two Disciples

    Jesus appoints seventy-two disciples and sends them out two by two to prepare towns for His arrival, emphasizing the need for laborers in the harvest.

  2. Luke 10:4–12 Instructions for the Journey

    He instructs them to travel light and offer peace, warning of rejection and declaring the nearness of God's Kingdom.

  3. Luke 10:13–16 Woes to Unrepentant Cities

    Jesus pronounces woes on Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their unrepentance despite witnessing His miracles, asserting they will face judgment.

  4. Luke 10:17–24 The Disciples' Return and Joy

    The disciples return rejoicing over their authority over demons, and Jesus praises God for revealing truth to the humble.

  5. Luke 10:25–37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan

    A lawyer tests Jesus about eternal life, leading to the parable that illustrates loving one's neighbor through compassion and action.

  6. Luke 10:38–42 Mary and Martha's Encounter

    Martha hosts Jesus while Mary chooses to sit and listen at His feet, leading to Jesus emphasizing the value of devotion over distraction.

Key verses

  • Luke 10:27Luke 10:27 encapsulates the call to love God and neighbor, framing the chapter's central themes of mission and compassion.

Main themes in Luke 10

Mission

The theme of mission is evident as Jesus commissions seventy-two disciples to spread His message of God's Kingdom in various towns (verses 1-3). This mission highlights the urgency for laborers and the power given to His followers to heal and proclaim peace. It emphasizes the responsibility of believers to actively engage in sharing their faith.

Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God is central to the message the disciples are to proclaim, as seen in verses 9 and 11, where they declare its nearness. Jesus contrasts the reception of this message in different cities, linking acceptance to judgment and illustrating the Kingdom's transformative power. This theme reveals the seriousness of responding to God's invitation.

Compassion

Compassion is vividly illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan (verses 30-37), where the Samaritan helps an injured man, contrasting with others who pass by. This narrative challenges social norms about neighborly love, emphasizing active mercy over legalistic interpretations. It calls readers to embody true compassion in their own lives.

Devotion to Christ

The theme of devotion is highlighted in the interaction between Mary and Martha (verses 38-42), where Mary chooses to sit at Jesus' feet and listen. Jesus affirms this choice as the 'better part', underscoring the importance of prioritizing relationship with Him over distractions. This devotion is essential for spiritual growth and understanding.

Cross-references

Passages that echo Luke 10

Study questions

Questions for studying Luke 10

  1. Who does Jesus send out in pairs to prepare the towns?
  2. What instructions does Jesus give the seventy-two regarding their journey?
  3. Why does Jesus pronounce woes on Chorazin and Bethsaida?
  4. What is the significance of the Samaritan's actions in the parable?
  5. How does Jesus respond to Martha's concern about Mary?
  6. What does Jesus mean when He says, 'Mary has chosen the good part'?
  7. How do the teachings in this chapter reflect on the nature of the Kingdom of God?

Luke 10: frequently asked questions

What is Luke 10 about?+
In Luke chapter 10, Jesus appoints seventy-two disciples and sends them out in pairs to various towns to prepare the way for His arrival. He instructs them to preach peace and heal the sick, warning them of potential rejection but assuring them of their authority. On their return, they express joy over their success; Jesus affirms their power over demonic forces and praises God for revealing divine truths to the humble and childlike. The chapter continues with the parable of the Good Samaritan, illustrating the command to love one's neighbor through the story of a Samaritan offering compassionate aid to an injured Jew, unlike the priest and Levite who pass by. This parable emphasizes loving action over legalistic boundaries and calls for radical compassion. Finally, the story of Mary and Martha emphasizes the importance of prioritizing relationship with Jesus over busyness, as Mary chooses to listen at Jesus' feet while Martha is distracted by domestic duties. This underscores the theme of choosing 'the better part'—intimacy with Christ—above all else. Theologically, this chapter highlights themes of mission, the kingdom of God, divine revelation to the humble, and the essence of true neighborly love. Through the diverse teachings and parables, Jesus instructs His followers in living out their faith through love and service.
What is the key verse in Luke 10?+
Luke 10:27: "He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”"
What are the main themes of Luke 10?+
The main themes of Luke 10 are Mission, Kingdom of God, Compassion, Devotion to Christ.

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