Matthew 10
Jesus Appoints the Twelve
10aAnd summoning His twelve disciples, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to bheal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
2aNow the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, bSimon, who is called Peter, and cAndrew his brother; and dJames the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3aPhilip and 1Bartholomew; bThomas and cMatthew the tax collector; dJames the son of Alphaeus, and eThaddaeus; 4Simon the 1Zealot, and aJudas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
The Twelve Disciples Sent Out
5aThese twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not 1go 2in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the bSamaritans; 6but rather go to athe lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7“And as you go, 1preach, saying, ‘aThe kingdom of heaven 2is at hand.’ 8“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9“aDo not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10or a 1bag for your journey, or even two 2tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for athe worker is worthy of his 3support. 11“And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay there until you leave. 12“Now as you enter the 1house, agive it your 2greeting. 13“And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14“And whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you leave that house or that city, ashake the dust off your feet. 15“Truly I say to you, ait will be more tolerable for the land of bSodom and Gomorrah in cthe day of judgment than for that city.
The Promise of Persecution
16“aBehold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so 1be bshrewd as serpents and cinnocent as doves. 17“But beware of men, for they will deliver you over to the acourts and flog you bin their synagogues; 18and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19“aBut when they deliver you over, bdo not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say. 20“For ait is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21“aAnd brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and bchildren will rise up against parents and 1cause them to be put to death. 22“aAnd you will be hated by all because of My name, but bit is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
23“But whenever they apersecute you in this city, flee to 1the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel buntil the Son of Man comes.
The Meaning of Discipleship
24“aA 1disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25“It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. aIf they have called the head of the house 1,bBeelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
26“Therefore do not afear them, bfor there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27“aWhat I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim bupon the housetops. 28“And do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather afear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in 1,bhell. 29“aAre not two sparrows sold for an 1assarion? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30“But athe very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31“So do not fear; ayou are more valuable than many sparrows.
32“Therefore aeveryone who 1confesses Me before men, I will also confess 2him before My Father who is in heaven. 33“But awhoever 1denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34“aDo not think that I came to 1bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35“For I came to aset a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36and aa man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37“aHe who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38“And ahe who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“aHe who has found his 1life will lose it, and he who has lost his 2life for My sake will find it.
The Reward of Service
40“aHe who receives you receives Me, and bhe who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41“aHe who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42“And awhoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these 1little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”