Matthew 10

Mission of the Twelve

1 He called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to throw them out and to heal every disease and every sickness.2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee; and John his brother;3 Philip; and Bartholomew; Thomas; and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Cananaean;t and Judas, who betrayed Jesus.

Commissioning of the Twelve

5 Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Don’t go among the Gentiles or into a Samaritan city.6 Go instead to the lost sheep, the people of Israel.7 As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment.9 Workers deserve to be fed, so don’t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips.10 Don’t take a backpack for the road or two shirts or sandals or a walking stick.11 Whatever city or village you go into, find somebody in it who is worthy and stay there until you go on your way.12 When you go into a house, say, ‘Peace!’13 If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if the house isn’t worthy, take back your blessing.14 If anyone refuses to welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city.

15 I assure you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than it will be for that city.

Response to harassment

16 “Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as snakes and innocent as doves17 Watch out for people—because they will hand you over to councils and they will beat you in their synagogues.18 They will haul you in front of governors and even kings because of me so that you may give your testimony to them and to the Gentiles.19 Whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about how to speak or what you will say, because what you can say will be given to you at that moment.20 You aren’t doing the talking, but the Spirit of my Father is doing the talking through you.21 Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to be executed. A father will turn his child in. Children will defy their parents and have them executed.22 Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved.

23 Whenever they harass you in one city, escape to the next, because I assure that you will not go through all the cities of Israel before the Human Onet comes.
24 “Disciples aren’t greater than their teacher, and slaves aren’t greater than their master.

25 It’s enough for disciples to be like their teacher and slaves like their master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, it’s certain that they will call the members of his household by even worse names.

Whom to fear

26 “Therefore, don’t be afraid of those people because nothing is hidden that won’t be revealed, and nothing secret that won’t be brought out into the open.27 What I say to you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, announce from the rooftops.28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a small coin? But not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father knowing about it already.30 Even the hairs of your head are all counted.

31 Don’t be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

Confessing Christ to people

32 “Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.

33 But everyone who denies me before people, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Trouble in the family

34 “Don’t think that I’ve come to bring peace to the earth. I haven’t come to bring peace but a sword.35 I’ve come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law .

36  People’s enemies are members of their own households .t
37 “Those who love father or mother more than me aren’t worthy of me. Those who love son or daughter more than me aren’t worthy of me.38 Those who don’t pick up their crosses and follow me aren’t worthy of me.

39 Those who find their lives will lose them, and those who lose their lives because of me will find them.

Rewards

40 "Those who receive you are also receiving me, and those who receive me are receiving the one who sent me.41 Those who receive a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Those who receive a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

42 I assure you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold water to these little ones because they are my disciples will certainly be rewarded."

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.”