Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.'Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

"Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave.As you enter the home, give it your greeting.If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues.On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

"The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

"So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

"Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.For I have come to turn
"'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—

a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

"Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

"Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward.And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward."

Matthew 10

Sending Out the Twelve Apostles

1 Jesust called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spiritss so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness.t2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles:s first, Simons (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother;3 Philip and Bartholomew;s Thomass and Matthew the tax collector;s James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;s

4 Simon the Zealott and Judas Iscariot,s who betrayed him.t
5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows:t “Do not go to Gentile regionst and do not enter any Samaritan town.t6 Got instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’8 Heal the sick, raise the dead,s cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.9 Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts,10 no bagt for the journey, or an extra tunic,t or sandals or staff,s for the worker deserves his provisions.11 Whenevert you enter a town or village,t find out who is worthy theret and stay with themts until you leave.12 As you enter the house, give it greetings.t13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.s14 And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust offs your feet as you leave that house or that town.

15 I tell you the truth,t it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrahs on the day of judgment than for that town!

Persecution of Disciples

16 “It am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves,s so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.17 Bewaret of people, because they will hand you over to councilss and flogt you in their synagogues.s18 And you will be brought before governors and kingss because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles.19 Whenevert they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say,t for what you should say will be given to you at that time.t

20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “Brothert will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise againstt parents and have them put to death.22 And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

23 Whenevert they persecute you in one place,t flee to another. I tell you the truth,t you will not finish going through all the townst of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slavet greater than his master.

25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!

Fear God, Not Man

26 “Dot not be afraid of them, for nothing is hiddent that will not be revealed,s and nothing is secret that will not be made known.27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear,t proclaim from the housetops.t28 Dot not be afraid of those who kill the bodys but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.s29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?s Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.t30 Even all the hairs on your head are numbered.

31 So do not be afraid;s you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32 “Whoever, then, acknowledgest me before people, I will acknowledgets before my Father in heaven.

33 But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 “Do not think that I have come to bringt peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword.35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,

36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.t
37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.38 And whoever does not take up his crosss and follow me is not worthy of me.

39 Whoever finds his lifet will lose it,s and whoever loses his life because of met will find it.

Rewards

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.s41 Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoevert receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth,t he will never lose his reward.”