Matthew 10:16–25

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.

¹⁷“But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the ^acourts and scourge 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 hand you over, ^bdo not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.

²⁰“For ^ait is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

²¹“^aBrother 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“^aYou 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 ¹one city, flee to ²the 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 ^1bBeelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!