Matthew 10:5–42

The Twelve Apostles are Instructed

Mark 6:8–13; Luke 9:2–6, 12:2–10

⁵These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: ^e“Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of ^fthe Samaritans. ^6gBut go rather to the ^hlost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ⁱAnd as you go, preach, saying, ^j‘The kingdom of heaven ³is at hand.’ ⁸Heal the sick, ⁴cleanse the lepers, ⁵raise the dead, cast out demons. ^kFreely you have received, freely give. ^9lProvide neither gold nor silver nor ^mcopper in your money belts, ¹⁰nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; ⁿfor a worker is worthy of his food.

^11o“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. ¹²And when you go into a household, greet it. ^13pIf the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. ^qBut if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ^14rAnd whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, ^sshake off the dust from your feet. ¹⁵Assuredly, I say to you, ^tit will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

^16u“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. ^vTherefore be wise as serpents and ^wharmless ⁶as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men, for ^xthey will deliver you up to councils and ^yscourge you in their synagogues. ^18zYou will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ^19aBut when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For ^bit will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ^20cfor it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

^21d“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²²And ^eyou will be hated by all for My name’s sake. ^fBut he who endures to the end will be saved. ^23gWhen they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have ^hgone through the cities of Israel ⁱbefore the Son of Man comes.

^24j“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If ^kthey have called the master of the house ⁷Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! ²⁶Therefore do not fear them. ^lFor there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

²⁷“Whatever I tell you in the dark, ^mspeak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ⁿAnd do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather ^ofear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in ⁸hell. ²⁹Are not two ^psparrows sold for a ⁹copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ^30qBut the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

^32r“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, ^shim I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ^33tBut whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

^34u“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to ^v‘set ¹a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶and ^w‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ ^37xHe who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ^38yAnd he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ^39zHe who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

^40a“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. ^41bHe who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ^42cAnd whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”