Matthew 10:21–38

²¹“And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his children, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death, ²²and you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved. ²³And whenever they persecute you in this town, flee to another, for truly I say to you, you will never finish going through the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

²⁴“A disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor a slave superior to his master. ²⁵It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household?

Fear God Rather Than People

²⁶“Therefore do not be afraid of them, because nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known. ²⁷What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. ²⁸And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul, but instead be afraid of the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?^f And one of them will not fall to the ground without the knowledge and consent^g of your Father. ³⁰And even the hairs of your head are all numbered! ³¹Therefore do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

³²“Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven. ³³But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, But a Sword of Divisiveness

³⁴“Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth! I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶And the enemies of a man will be the members of his household.^{h 37}The one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.