1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them ahead of him two by two into every city and place where he himself was about to go.2He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest."3Go; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.4Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.5Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace be to this house."6And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you.7Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move from house to house.8Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.9Heal the sick who are there and say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you."10But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,11Even the dust of that town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you; nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come 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 mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.14But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.15And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades.16The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.17The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name."18He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will harm you.20Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.21In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, 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 such was your gracious will."22All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.23Then turning to the disciples he 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, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.