Luke 10:17-42

17Later, the 72 disciples that Jesus had sent out returned to him. They were very happy. ‘Master,’ they said, ‘even bad spirits obey us. When we use your name, they do what we say.’

18Jesus replied, ‘I saw the Devil himself fall from heaven like lightning.

19Listen! I have given power to you. You will even stand on dangerous snakes and insects and you will have authority over all the power of the Devil. Nothing will hurt you.

20But do not be happy because you have authority over bad spirits. God has written your names in his book in heaven. That is why you should be happy.’

21At this moment, the Holy Spirit made Jesus very happy. He said, ‘Father, you rule over everything in heaven and on the earth! People that do not know many things now can understand your message. I thank you for this. But you have hidden these things from other people. Those people think that they understand everything. They think that they are wise. Yes, Father, this is how you wanted it to happen.’

22Jesus then said, ‘My Father has given me authority over all things. Only the Father knows who I am, his Son. Only I know who the Father is, because I am his Son. I also choose to tell some people about him. Then they also know him.’

23Then Jesus turned and he spoke only to his disciples. He said to them, ‘Be happy because of the things that you are now able to see and understand.

24I tell you this: Many prophets and kings from a long time ago wanted to see these things. But they did not see the things that you are seeing. They wanted to hear the message that you are hearing. But they did not hear it.’

25A teacher of God's Law stood up. He wanted to see how Jesus would answer his question. So he asked Jesus, ‘Teacher, what must I do so that I can live with God for ever?’

26‘What does God's Law say?’ Jesus asked. ‘What do you understand when you read it?’

27The man replied, ‘It says that we must love the Lord our God with all our mind and with all our strength. We must love him with all that we are and in all that we think. It also says that we must love other people as much as we love ourselves.’

28‘You have told me the right answer,’ Jesus said. ‘If you do this, you will have true life with God.’

29But the man wanted to show that he had been right to ask a question. So he asked, ‘Who are the people near to me that I must love?’

30Jesus answered him with a story: ‘A man was going down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho town. On the way, some men attacked him. They took away all his clothes and they hit him with sticks. He was almost dead when they left him.

31But it happened that a priest from the temple was going down that road. He saw the man, who was lying there. But he walked past him on the other side of the road.

32A Levite was also going down the road. He came to the place where the man was lying. He saw him. But he also walked past on the other side of the road.

33But then a man from Samaria was also travelling along the road. And he came to the place where the man was lying. When he saw him, he felt very sorry for him.

34He went across to him. He poured oil and wine on the places where he was bleeding. Then he tied those places with clean cloths. After that, he put the man on his own donkey to carry him. They arrived at a small hotel. He took the man in there and he was kind to him.

35The next day, the man from Samaria took out two silver coins from his purse. He gave the money to the man that was taking care of the hotel. “Be kind to this man for me,” he said. “This money may not be enough. When I return, I will pay you for any more that you have spent on him.” ’

36Then Jesus asked the teacher of God's Law a question. He said, ‘Three men saw the man that was lying on the road. Which of them showed love to him, like a real friend?’

37The teacher answered, ‘It was the man who was kind to him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Yes. So you should go and do the same for other people.’

38Jesus and his disciples continued their journey. They arrived at a certain village. There, a woman called Martha asked Jesus to come into her home.

39Martha had a sister called Mary. Mary sat down near Jesus. She was listening to the things that he was teaching.

40But Martha was thinking to herself, ‘I cannot do all this work alone.’ So she went to Jesus. She said, ‘Master, my sister is not helping me with the work. She has left me to do it alone. You surely do not think that this is right! Tell her that she should help me!’

41The Lord Jesus replied, ‘Martha, Martha, you have troubles in your mind about many things.

42But only one thing is really important. That is what Mary has chosen to do. Nobody will take it away from her.’