Matthew 10:16–31

Persecutions Predicted

¹⁶“Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves. ^r17Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins ^sand flog you in their ^•synagogues, ^tbeware of them. ¹⁸You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations. ^u19But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should speak. ^vFor you will be given what to say at that hour, ²⁰because you are not speaking, but the Spirit ^wof 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. ^y22You will be hated by everyone because of My name. ^zBut the one who endures to the end will be delivered. ^ab23When they persecute you in one town, escape to another. ^cFor I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the ^•Son of Man comes. ²⁴A disciple ^dis not above his teacher, or a ^•slave above his master. ^e25It 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

Fear God

²⁶“Therefore, ^gdon’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known. ^h27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, ⁱproclaim on the housetops. ^j28Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; ^krather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in ^•hell. ^l29Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? ^mYet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s ⁿconsent. ^o30But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. ^p31So don’t be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows. ^q