The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service

1 Jesus asummoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to bheal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

2 aNow the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, bSimon, who is called Peter, and bAndrew his brother; and 1cJames the son of Zebedee, and 2John his brother;

3 aPhilip and 1Bartholomew; bThomas and cMatthew the tax collector; 2dJames the son of Alphaeus, and eThaddaeus;

4 Simon the 1Zealot, and aJudas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

5 aThese twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not 1go 2in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the bSamaritans;

6 but 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,

10 or a 1bag for your journey, or even two 2coats, 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 1at his house until you leave that city.

12 “As you enter the 1house, agive it your 2greeting.

13 “If the house is worthy, 1give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, 2take back your blessing of peace.

14 “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of 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.

A Hard Road before Them

16 “aBehold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so 1be bshrewd as serpents and cinnocent as doves.