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Luke 10

Luke 10 joins the announcement of God’s Kingdom with dependence on Jesus, mercy toward neighbors, and attention to his word.

Jesus sends seventy disciples ahead of him in pairs to heal the sick and announce God’s Kingdom. He warns of rejection and judgment, then receives their joyful report of authority over demons. Jesus directs their joy toward their names being written in heaven and praises the Father for revealing himself through the Son. A lawyer’s question leads to the Samaritan’s act of mercy. At Martha’s house, Jesus addresses her distress over serving while Mary listens at his feet.

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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 there 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, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, 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 BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Luke 10:27The lawyer’s answer joins love for God with love for neighbor, setting up Jesus’ account of mercy across social boundaries.
Luke 10:19Jesus identifies himself as the source of the disciples’ authority over the enemy, then redirects their joy toward heaven.
Luke 10:22The Son’s unique knowledge of the Father explains why receiving Jesus’ revelation is such a privilege for the disciples.
Where this chapter reaches

Matthew and Mark share Jesus’ commands to love God and neighbor, while Romans also connects love of neighbor with fulfilling the law. John shares the emphasis on the Son making the Father known, and Revelation also speaks of names recorded in heaven.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

Which detail of the Samaritan’s care challenges how you understand being a neighbor?

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What do you notice about Jesus’ response to Martha’s complaint and Mary’s listening?

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Questions people ask about Luke 10

What is the meaning of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10?

Jesus tells the story after a lawyer asks who counts as his neighbor. A priest and a Levite pass the wounded man, while a Samaritan provides care at his own expense. Jesus shifts the question toward who acted as a neighbor, and the lawyer identifies the one who showed mercy.

Why did Jesus correct Martha in Luke 10?

Martha welcomes Jesus, then becomes distracted with serving and asks him to make Mary help. Jesus names Martha’s anxiety and affirms Mary’s choice to hear his word. The passage does not condemn hospitality or work; it addresses Martha’s troubled attention and her request to take Mary away from listening.

Does Luke 10:19 mean Christians cannot be harmed?

Jesus speaks these words to the seventy after they report that demons submit to his name. The promise concerns the authority he gives them over the enemy in their mission. The verse does not establish that every Christian is immune to injury or authorize deliberate exposure to danger.

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Luke · 24 chapters

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).