Luke 10 - Simple English

1After this the Lord chose seventy others. He sent them out two by two ahead of him, into every city and place where he himself was going to come.

2So he said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he would send out workers into his harvest."

3"Go on your way. Look, I send you out as lambs among wolves."

4"Carry no purse, no bag, no shoes. Greet no one along the road."

5"Whatever house you go into, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'"

6"If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it. If not, it will come back to you."

7"Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move from house to house."

8"Whatever city you go into, if they welcome you, eat what is set before you."

9"Heal the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'"

10"But whatever city you go into, if they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,"

11"'Even the very dust of your city that sticks to us, we wipe off against you. But be sure of this: the kingdom of God has come near to you.'"

12"But I tell you, on that day it will be easier for Sodom than for that city."

13"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes."

14"But at the judgment it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon than for you."

15"And you, Capernaum, who are lifted up to heaven, will be thrown down to hell."

16"Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me."

17The seventy came back with joy. They said, "Lord, even the demons obey us through your name."

18He said to them, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning."

19"Look, I give you power to tread on snakes and scorpions, and power over all the strength of the enemy. Nothing will hurt you in any way."

20"But do not rejoice in this, that the spirits obey you. Rejoice instead because your names are written in heaven."

21At that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and clever, and have shown them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what pleased you."

22"All things have been handed over 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 the one to whom the Son chooses to show him." Many ancient copies add these words at the beginning of the verse: and turning to his disciples, he said.

23Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see."

24"For I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see, and did not see them; and to hear the things you hear, and did not hear them."

25Look, a certain lawyer stood up to test him. He said, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

26Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?"

27He answered, "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 neighbour as yourself."

28Jesus said to him, "You have answered right. Do this, and you will live."

29But the man wanted to justify himself, so he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?"

30Jesus answered, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among thieves. They stripped him of his clothes and wounded him, and then went away, leaving him half dead."

31"By chance a certain priest was going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side."

32"In the same way a Levite came to the place. He came and looked at him, and passed by on the other side."

33"But a certain Samaritan, as he travelled, came to where the man was. When he saw him, he was filled with compassion."

34"He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him."

35"The next day, when he left, he took out two pence and gave them to the innkeeper. He said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come again.'"

36"Which of these three, do you think, was neighbour to the man who fell among the thieves?"

37He said, "The one who showed mercy to him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go, and do the same."

38As they went on their way, he came into a certain village. A woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at Jesus' feet and listened to his word.

40But Martha was weighed down by all the work of serving. She came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me."

41Jesus answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things."

42"But one thing is needed. Mary has chosen that good part, and it will not be taken away from her."