₁After this the Lord chose another 72 men and sent them out two by two, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself was about to go. ₂He said to them, “There is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest. ₃Go! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. ₄Don't take a purse or a beggar's bag or shoes; don't stop to greet anyone on the road. ₅Whenever you go into a house, first say, ‘Peace be with this house.’ ₆If a peace-loving person lives there, let your greeting of peace remain on him; if not, take back your greeting of peace. ₇Stay in that same house, eating and drinking whatever they offer you, for workers should be given their pay. Don't move round from one house to another. ₈Whenever you go into a town and are made welcome, eat what is set before you, ₉heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near you.’ ₁₀But whenever you go into a town and are not welcomed, go out in the streets and say, ₁₁‘Even the dust from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the Kingdom of God has come near you!’

₁₆Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

₁₇The 72 men came back in great joy. “Lord,” they said, “even the demons obeyed us when we gave them a command in your name!”

₁₈Jesus answered them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ₁₉Listen! I have given you authority, so that you can walk on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the Enemy, and nothing will hurt you. ₂₀But don't be glad because the evil spirits obey you; rather be glad because your names are written in heaven.”