Matthew 10:5–42

⁵These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.^{d 6}Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.^{e 7}As 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 11}Whatever 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 13}If 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 15}Truly 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 17}Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^p and be flogged in the synagogues.^{q 18}On 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 22}You will be hated by everyone because of me,^w but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^{x 23}When 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

²⁴“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.^{z 25}It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,^a how much more the members of his household!

²⁶“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.^{b 27}What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. ²⁸Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One^c who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.^{b 30}And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.^{d 31}So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^e

³²“Whoever acknowledges me before others,^f I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.^g

³⁴“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to turn

“ ‘a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law^h—

³⁶a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’^ci

³⁷“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.^{j 38}Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.^{k 39}Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.^l

⁴⁰“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,^m and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^{n 41}Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴²And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”^o