Matthew 10:16–25

Persecutions Predicted

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves. r 17 Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins s and flog you in their * synagogues, t beware of them. 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations. u 19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should speak. v For you will be given what to say at that hour, 20 because you are not speaking, but the Spirit w of your Father is speaking through you. x

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death. y 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name. z But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. a b 23 When they persecute you in one town, escape to another. c For I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the * Son of Man comes. 24 A disciple d is not above his teacher, or a * slave above his master. e 25 It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘* Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household! f