Luke 10 — Christ sends forth and instructs his seventy-two disciples. The good Samaritan.

1And after these things, the Lord appointed also other seventy-two. And he sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself was to come. 2And he said to them: The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he send labourers into his harvest. 3Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves. 4Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 5Into whatever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house. 6And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall return to you. 7And in the same house, remain, eating and drinking such things as they have: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. 8And into what city soever you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9And heal the sick that are therein and say to them: The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10But into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, going forth into the streets thereof, say: 11Even the very dust of your city that cleaveth to us, we wipe off against you. Yet know this, that the kingdom of God is at hand. 12I say to you, it shall be more tolerable at that day for Sodom than for that city. 13Woe to thee, Corozain! Woe to thee, Bethsaida! For if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought the mighty works that have been wrought in you, they would have done penance long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15And thou, Capharnaum, which art exalted unto heaven, thou shalt be thrust down to hell. 16He that heareth you heareth me: and he that despiseth you despiseth me: and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. 17And the seventy-two returned with joy, saying: Lord, the devils also are subject to us in thy name. 18And he said to them: I saw Satan like lightning falling from heaven. 19Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you. 20But yet rejoice not in this, that spirits are subject unto you: but rejoice in this, that your names are written in heaven. 21In that same hour, he rejoiced in the Holy Ghost and said: I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to little ones. Yea, Father, for so it hath seemed good in thy sight. 22All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth who the Son is, but the Father: and who the Father is, but the Son and to whom the Son will reveal him. 23And turning to his disciples, he said: Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see. 24For I say to you that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that you see and have not seen them; and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them. 25And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting him and saying, Master, what must I do to possess eternal life? 26But he said to him: What is written in the law? How readest thou? 27He answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself. 28And he said to him: Thou hast answered right. This do: and thou shalt live. 29But he willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour? 30And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who also stripped him and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead. 31And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by. 32In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. 33But a certain Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion: 34And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35And the next day he took out two pence and gave to the host and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee. 36Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers? 37But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner. 38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary. who, sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. 40But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? Speak to her therefore, that she help me. 41And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many things: 42But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Challoner’s argument, 1750

Christ sends forth and instructs his seventy-two disciples. The good Samaritan.

Sodom — placed by tradition at the south end of the Dead Sea; no site is agreed.

Notes

The road from Jerusalem to Jericho is about 27 km and falls roughly a thousand metres — Jerusalem stands some 750 m above sea level, Jericho about 250 m below it. It runs through empty hill country and its reputation for robbery is why the parable begins there.
The Samaritan pays “two pence” — two denarii, about two days’ wages, enough for some days’ lodging.
Corozain and Bethsaida are both within a few kilometres of Capharnaum, on the north shore. Corozain’s ruins stand above the lake; Bethsaida’s site is still argued between two mounds, which is why its pin is hollow.

What the Fathers said

Cyril of Alexandria preached through this gospel in the fifth century. These are his, in full, in Payne Smith’s translation of 1859.

The Gospel of St LukeChapter X

Challoner’s argument, 1750

Notes

What the Fathers said