Matthew 10:5–23

The Mission of the Twelve

⁵These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not take a road leading to gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town,^{* 6}but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.^{* 7}As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’^{u* 8}Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse those with a skin disease; cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. ⁹Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, ¹⁰no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for laborers deserve their food.^{* 11}Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹²As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.^{* 15}Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.^*

Coming Persecutions

¹⁶“I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.^{* 17}Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, ¹⁸and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the gentiles.^{* 19}When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you at that time, ²⁰for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.^{* 21}Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, ²²and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.^{* 23}When they persecute you in this town, flee to the next, for truly I tell you, you will not have finished going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.