Matthew 10

1  AND JESUS summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity.2  Now these are the names of the twelve apostles (special messengers): first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee, and John his brother;3  Philip and Bartholomew [Nathaniel]; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus [Judas, not Iscariot];4  Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.5  Jesus sent out these twelve, charging them, Go nowhere among the Gentiles and do not go into any town of the Samaritans;6  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7  And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand!8  Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give.9  Take no gold nor silver nor [even] copper money in your purses (belts);10  And do not take a provision bag or a wallet for a collection bag for your journey, nor two undergarments, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the workman deserves his support (his living, his food).11  And into whatever town or village you go, inquire who in it is deserving, and stay there [at his house] until you leave [that vicinity].12  As you go into the house, give your greetings and wish it well.13  Then if indeed that house is deserving, let come upon it your peace [that is, freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin]. But if it is not deserving, let your peace return to you.14  And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust [of it] from your feet.15  Truly I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.16  Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves. 17  Be on guard against men [whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God]; for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues,18  And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a witness to bear testimony before them and to the Gentiles (the nations).19  But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and moment,20  For it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.21  Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children will take a stand against their parents and will have them put to death.22  And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake, but he who perseveres and endures to the end will be saved [from spiritual disease and death in the world to come].23  When they persecute you in one town [that is, pursue you in a manner that would injure you and cause you to suffer because of your belief], flee to another town; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.24  A disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a servant or slave above his master.25  It is sufficient for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant or slave like his master. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub [master of the dwelling], how much more will they speak evil of those of His household. [II Kings 1:2.]26  So have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or kept secret that will not become known.27  What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops.28  And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).29  Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice.30  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31  Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows.32  Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father Who is in heaven and confess [that I am abiding in] him.33  But whoever denies and disowns Me before men, I also will deny and disown him before My Father Who is in heaven.34  Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.35  For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a newly married wife from her mother-in-law--36  And a man’s foes will be they of his own household. 37  He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me;38  And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.39  Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].40  He who receives and welcomes and accepts you receives and welcomes and accepts Me, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts Me receives and welcomes and accepts Him Who sent Me.41  He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.42  And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.

Matteus 10

De tolv apostler

(Mark 3,13–19; Luk 6,13–16)

1 Han kalte til seg sine tolv disipler og gav dem makt til å drive ut urene ånder og helbrede alle sykdommer og plager.

2 Dette er navnene på de tolv apostlene:
Først Simon, som ble kalt Peter, og hans bror Andreas, så Jakob, sønn av Sebedeus, og hans bror Johannes, t 3 så Filip og Bartolomeus, Tomas og tolleren Matteus, Jakob, sønn av Alfeus, og Taddeus,

4 Simon Kananeus og Judas Iskariot, han som forrådte ham.

Apostlene sendes ut

(Mark 6,7–13; Luk 9,1–6)

5 Disse tolv sendte Jesus ut og bød dem:
Ta ikke veien til hedningers land og dra ikke inn i samaritanernes byer! 6 Gå i stedet til de bortkomne sauene i Israels folk. t 7 Og der dere kommer, skal dere forkynne: Himmelriket er nær! t 8 Helbred syke, vekk opp døde, gjør spedalske rene, driv ut onde ånder. For intet har dere fått det, for intet skal dere gi det. t 9 Skaff dere ikke penger som dere tar med i beltet, verken gull eller sølv eller kobber. 10 Ta ikke veske med på veien, ikke to kjortler og heller ikke sandaler eller stav. For en arbeider er sin føde verd. t 11 Når dere kommer til en by eller landsby, så finn ut hvem som der er verdig til å ta imot dere, og bli hos ham til dere drar videre. 12 Og når dere kommer inn i huset, så hils det med fred. 13 Dersom huset er det verd, skal freden hvile over det, men dersom huset ikke er det verd, skal freden vende tilbake til dere. t 14 Og er det noen som ikke vil ta imot dere og heller ikke vil høre deres budskap, da skal dere forlate det huset eller den byen og riste støvet av føttene. t

15 Sannelig, jeg sier dere: Sodomas og Gomorras land skal slippe lettere på dommens dag enn den byen.t

Forfølgelser vil komme

(Mark 13,9–13; Luk 21,12–19; 12,2–7)

22 Og dere skal hates av alle for mitt navns skyld. Men den som holder ut helt til slutt, skal bli frelst.t
23 Men når de forfølger dere i den ene byen, så flykt til den neste! Sannelig, jeg sier dere: Dere skal ikke bli ferdig med byene i Israel før Menneskesønnen kommer. 24 En disippel står ikke over sin mester, en tjener ikke over sin herre. t

25 Det er nok for en disippel at han får det som sin mester, for en tjener at han får det som sin herre. Har de kalt husbonden Beelsebul, kan da hans husfolk vente noe bedre?t t
26 Vær ikke redde for dem! For ingen ting er gjemt uten at det skal fram, ingen ting skjult uten at det skal bli kjent. t

27 Det jeg sier dere i mørket, skal dere tale i lyset; det dere får hvisket i øret, skal dere rope ut fra hustakene.
28 Vær ikke redde for dem som dreper legemet, men ikke kan drepe sjelen. Frykt heller ham som kan ødelegge både sjel og legeme i helvete. 29 Selges ikke to spurver for en skilling? Men uten ham som er Far for dere, faller ikke én av dem til jorden. 30 Ja, hvert hår dere har på hodet, er telt.

31 Frykt derfor ikke! Dere er mer verd enn mange spurver.t

Bekjennelse og etterfølgelse

(Luk 12,8–9. 51–53; 14,26–27; 17,33)

34 Tro ikke at jeg er kommet for å bringe fred på jorden. Jeg er ikke kommet for å bringe fred, men sverd.

35 Jeg er kommet ¬for å sette skille:
Sønn står mot far,
datter mot mor,
svigerdatter mot svigermor, t

36 og en manns husfolk ¬er hans fiender.
37 Den som elsker far eller mor mer enn meg, er meg ikke verd. Den som elsker sønn eller datter mer enn meg, er meg ikke verd. t 38 Og den som ikke tar sitt kors opp og følger etter meg, er meg ikke verd. t

39 Den som finner sitt liv, skal miste det. Men den som mister sitt liv for min skyld, skal finne det!t

Lønnen for å ta imot en disippel