Если же придете в какой город и не примут вас, то, выйдя на улицу, скажите: и прах, прилипший к нам от вашего города, отрясаем вам; однако же знайте, что приблизилось к вам Царствие Божие. Сказываю вам, что Содому в день оный будет отраднее, нежели городу тому.

Если, - говорит, - "не примут вас, то, выйдя на улицу, скажите" им, что у нас ничего нет общего с вами, мы ничего не имеем от вашего города, даже и пыль, прилипшую к нам, мы сметаем, то есть отрясаем, очищаем и бросаем на вас; однако ж знайте, что приблизилось к вам Царствие Божие. Здесь спросит иной: как Господь говорит, что Царствие Божие приблизилось и к тем, кои принимают апостолов, и к тем, кои не принимают их? Нужно сказать, что Он нисколько не противоречит Себе. Ибо к тем, кои принимают апостолов, Царствие приближается с благодеяниями, а к тем, кои не принимают, с осуждением. Ибо, прошу тебя, представь себе, что на каком-нибудь зрелище находится много одних осужденных, а других неосужденных, например, сенаторов, полководцев и вельмож, потом какой-нибудь глашатай всем вместе, осужденным и почетным, возвещает: царь приблизился к вам! Не то ли он говорит, что к одним из них царь приблизился для наказания, а к другим, чтобы оказать им честь и благоволение? Таким же образом и здесь понимай. - Отраднее, - говорит, - будет Содому, нежели городу тому, который не принял вас. Почему? Потому, что в Содом не были посланы апостолы, и поэтому непринявшие апостолов - хуже содомлян. Заметь и то, что город, не принимающий апостолов, имеет широкие улицы; а широкий путь приводит к погибели. Итак, кто ходит широкими дорогами, ведущими к погибели, тот не принимает апостольского и Божественного учения.

     Горе тебе, Хоразин! горе тебе, Вифсаида! ибо если бы в Тире и Сидоне явлены были силы, явленные в вас, то давно бы они, сидя во вретище и пепле, покаялись; но и Тиру и Сидону отраднее будет на суде, нежели вам. И ты, Капернаум, до неба вознесшийся, до ада низвергнешься. Слушающий вас Меня слушает, и отвергающийся вас Меня отвергается; а отвергающийся Меня отвергается Пославшего Меня.

Tyre and Sidon were pagan cities, but Bethsaida and Chorazin were Jewish cities. Therefore He says that at the judgment it will be more pleasing to the Gentiles than to you, who have seen miracles and disbelieved; for if they had seen, they would have believed. And you, Capernaum, who have ascended to heaven, as glorified by the many miracles that have wrought in you, will descend to hell; you will be condemned for the very fact that even after so many miracles you do not believe. - Then, lest those who are sent to preach should say, "Why do you send us, if some cities will not receive us," he says, "Do not be sad; he who rejects you rejects Me and My Father; therefore the offense does not stop at you, but ascends to God. Therefore, let it be a comfort to you that the offense is inflicted (not on you, but) on God. In the same way, on the other hand, do not boast or be exalted by the fact that some listen to you; for this is not your work, but mine's grace.

     The seventy disciples returned with joy and said: "Lord! and the demons obey us in Thy name. And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning; Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you; However, do not rejoice that the spirits obey you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. 

The Evangelist said before that the Lord sent seventy disciples, and now he says that they returned with joy, that they not only healed from other diseases, but delivered them from an even greater evil - from demons. See how far they are from arrogance; for they say to the Lord, "In Thy name" the demons obey us, according to Thy grace, and not according to our power. And the Lord said to them, "Do not be amazed that the demons obey you, for their ruler has long been cast down and has no power." Although it was not visible to people, it was visible to Me, who contemplates and is invisible. Satan fell like lightning from heaven because he was light, archangel and Lucifer, although now he has become darkness. But if he fell from heaven, then his servants, I mean demons, what will they not tolerate? Some words "from heaven" are understood thus: from glory. Since the seventy told the Lord that the demons obeyed them, He said, "I also knew this, for I saw Satan fall from heaven, that is, he lost the glory he had and the honor." Before the coming of Christ, he was revered as God, but now he fell from heaven, that is, they stopped revering him as God and thinking that he lived in heaven. "Behold, I give you power to trample down his powers." For serpents and scorpions are hosts of demons, creeping things in the valley, and those of them that bite in a more visible way are serpents, and those that strike in a more hidden way are scorpions. For example, the demon of fornication and murder is a serpent, for it incites to visible evil deeds; and the demon who, under the pretext of illness, for example, inclines a person to use baths, fragrant ointments, and other bliss, can be called a scorpion, since he has a hidden sting and secretly tries to sting the flesh in order to lead the listener into a greater crime. But thanks be to the Lord, Who gave the authority to tread on them! However, teaching His disciples not to be arrogant, the Lord says: nevertheless, do not rejoice that the demons obey you (for from this others receive benefit, namely those who receive healing), but rather rejoice that your names in heaven are written not with ink, but with God's memory and grace. The devil falls from heaven, and people who live on earth are inscribed in heaven. So, the true joy is that your names are written in heaven and are not forgotten by God.

     In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes." Yes, Father! For such was Thy good pleasure.