⁵These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.^d ⁶Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.^e ⁷As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven^f has come near.’ ⁸Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^a drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

⁹“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts^g—¹⁰no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.^h ¹¹Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. ¹²As you enter the home, give it your greeting.ⁱ ¹³If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.^j ¹⁵Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah^k on the day of judgment^l than for that town.^m

¹⁶“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.ⁿ Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.^o ¹⁷Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^p and be flogged in the synagogues.^q ¹⁸On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^r as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.^s At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father^t speaking through you.

²¹“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents^u and have them put to death.^v ²²You will be hated by everyone because of me,^w but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^x ²³When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.^y

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Footnotes

aThe Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.

Cross references

d 1 Ki 16:24; 2 Ki 17:24; Lk 9:52; 10:33; 17:16; Jn 4:4–26, 39, 40; 8:48; Ac 8:5, 25
e Jer 50:6; Mt 15:24
fSee Mt 3:2
g Lk 22:35
hSee 1 Ti 5:18
i 1 Sa 25:6
j Ne 5:13; Mk 6:11; Lk 9:5; 10:11; Ac 13:51; 18:6
k Ge 18:20; 19:24; 2 Pe 2:6; Jude 7
l Mt 12:36; Ac 17:31; 2 Pe 2:9; 3:7; 1 Jn 4:17; Jude 6
m Mt 11:22, 24
n Lk 10:3; Ac 20:29
oSee 1 Co 14:20
pSee Mt 5:22
q Mt 23:34; Mk 13:9; Ac 5:40; 22:19; 26:11
r Ac 25:24–26
s Ex 4:12
t Lk 12:11, 12; Ac 4:8
uver 35, 36; Mic 7:6
v Mk 13:12
wSee Jn 15:21
x Mt 24:13; Mk 13:13; Lk 21:19; Rev 2:10
ySee Lk 17:30