Matthew 10–15

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples

10Jesus called for his 12 disciples to come to him. He gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every illness and sickness.

²Here are the names of the 12 apostles. First are Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. Then come James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. ³ Next are Philip and Bartholomew, and also Thomas and Matthew the tax collector. Two more are James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus. ⁴The last are Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot. Judas is the one who was later going to hand Jesus over to his enemies.

⁵Jesus sent these 12 out with the following orders. “Do not go among those who aren’t Jews,” he said. “Do not enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶Instead, go to the people of Israel. They are like sheep that have become lost. ⁷As you go, preach this message, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ ⁸Heal those who are sick. Bring those who are dead back to life. Make those who have skin diseases ‘clean’ again. Drive out demons. You have received freely, so give freely.

⁹“Do not take along any gold, silver or copper in your belts. ¹⁰Do not take a bag for the journey. Do not take extra clothes or sandals or walking sticks. A worker should be given what he needs.

¹¹“When you enter a town or village, look for someone who is willing to welcome you. Stay at that person’s house until you leave. ¹²As you enter the home, greet those who live there. ¹³If that home welcomes you, give it your blessing of peace. If it does not, don’t bless it.

¹⁴“Some people may not welcome you or listen to your words. If they don’t, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. ¹⁵What I’m about to tell you is true. On judgment day it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

¹⁶“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as harmless as doves.

¹⁷“Watch out! Men will hand you over to the local courts. They will whip you in their synagogues. ¹⁸You will be brought to governors and kings because of me. You will be witnesses to them and to those who aren’t Jews.

¹⁹“But when they arrest you, don’t worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the right words to say. ²⁰It will not be you speaking. The Spirit of your Father will be speaking through you.

²¹“Brothers will hand over brothers to be killed. Fathers will hand over their children. Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. ²²Everyone will hate you because of me. But anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved.

²³“When people attack you in one place, escape to another. What I’m about to tell you is true. You will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴“A student is not better than his teacher. A servant is not better than his master. ²⁵It is enough for the student to be like his teacher. And it is enough for the servant to be like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, what can the others who live there expect?

²⁶“So don’t be afraid of your enemies. Everything that is secret will be brought out into the open. Everything that is hidden will be uncovered. ²⁷What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight. What is whispered in your ear, shout from the rooftops. ²⁸Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

²⁹“Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But not one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing it. ³⁰He even counts every hair on your head! ³¹So don’t be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

³²“What about someone who says in front of others that he knows me? I will also say in front of my Father who is in heaven that I know him. ³³But what about someone who says in front of others that he doesn’t know me? I will say in front of my Father who is in heaven that I don’t know him.

³⁴“Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth. I didn’t come to bring peace. I came to bring a sword. ³⁵I have come to turn

“ ‘sons against their fathers.

Daughters will refuse to obey their mothers.

Daughters-in-law will be against their mothers-in-law.

³⁶A man’s enemies will be the members of his own family.’

³⁷“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸And anyone who does not pick up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹If anyone finds his life, he will lose it. If anyone loses his life because of me, he will find it.

⁴⁰“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me. ⁴¹Suppose someone welcomes a prophet as a prophet. That one will receive a prophet’s reward. And suppose someone welcomes a godly person as a godly person. That one will receive a godly person’s reward. ⁴²Suppose someone gives even a cup of cold water to a little one who follows me. What I’m about to tell you is true. That one will certainly be rewarded.”

Jesus and John the Baptist

11Jesus finished teaching his 12 disciples. Then he went on to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

²John was in prison. When he heard what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to him. ³They asked Jesus, “Are you the one who was supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?”

⁴Jesus replied, “Go back to John. Report to him what you hear and see. ⁵Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are healed. Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is preached to those who are poor. ⁶Blessed are those who do not give up their faith because of me.”

⁷As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? ⁸If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. People who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,

“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you.

He will prepare your way for you.’

¹¹“What I’m about to tell you is true. No one more important than John the Baptist has ever been born. But the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is more important than he is. ¹²Since the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven has been advancing with force. And forceful people are taking hold of it. ¹³All the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John came. ¹⁴If you are willing to accept it, John is the Elijah who was supposed to come. ¹⁵Those who have ears should listen.

¹⁶“What can I compare today’s people to? They are like children sitting in the market places and calling out to others. They say,

¹⁷“ ‘We played the flute for you.

But you didn’t dance.

We sang a funeral song.

But you didn’t become sad.’

¹⁸When John came, he didn’t eat or drink as you do. And people say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And people say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ’ Those who act wisely prove that wisdom is right.”

Cities That Do Not Turn Away From Sin

²⁰Jesus began to speak against the cities where he had done most of his miracles. The people there had not turned away from their sins. So he said, ²¹“How terrible it will be for you, Korazin! How terrible for you, Bethsaida! Suppose the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon. They would have turned away from their sins long ago. They would have put on black clothes. They would have sat down in ashes. ²²But I tell you this. On judgment day it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

²³“And what about you, Capernaum? Will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will go down to the place of the dead. Suppose the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom. It would still be here today. ²⁴But I tell you this. On judgment day it will be easier for Sodom than for you.”

Rest for All Who Are Tired

²⁵At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father. You are Lord of heaven and earth. You have hidden these things from the wise and educated. But you have shown them to little children. ²⁶Yes, Father. This is what you wanted.

²⁷“My Father has given all things to me. The Father is the only one who knows the Son. And the only ones who know the Father are the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to make him known.

²⁸“Come to me, all of you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest. ²⁹Become my servants and learn from me. I am gentle and free of pride. You will find rest for your souls. ³⁰Serving me is easy, and my load is light.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath Day

12One Sabbath day Jesus walked through the grainfields. His disciples were hungry. So they began to break off some heads of grain and eat them. ²The Pharisees saw this. They said to Jesus, “Look! It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath. But your disciples are doing it anyway!”

³Jesus answered, “Haven’t you read about what David did? He and his men were hungry. ⁴So he entered the house of God. He and his men ate the holy bread. Only priests were allowed to eat it. ⁵Haven’t you read the Law? It tells how every Sabbath day the priests in the temple have to do their work on that day. But they are not considered guilty.

⁶“I tell you that one who is more important than the temple is here. ⁷Scripture says, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ You don’t know what those words mean. If you did, you would not bring charges against those who are not guilty. ⁸The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day.”

⁹Going on from that place, Jesus went into their synagogue. ¹⁰A man with a weak and twisted hand was there. The Pharisees were trying to find fault with Jesus. So they asked him, “Does the Law allow us to heal on the Sabbath day?”

¹¹He said to them, “What if one of your…