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Jesus Calls Twelve Followers and Sends Them Out (A)

10 Jesus called His twelve followers to Him. He gave them power to put out demons and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease. These are the names of the twelve followers. There were Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John who were the sons of Zebedee. There were Philip and Bartholomew and Thomas. There was Matthew, the man who gathered taxes. There were James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeaus, and Simon the Canaanite. There was Judas Iscariot who handed Jesus over to be killed.

Jesus sent out these twelve followers. He told them to go, saying, “Stay away from people who are not Jews. And do not go to any town in the country of Samaria. But go to the Jewish people who are lost. As you go, preach. Say, ‘The holy nation of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick and those with bad skin diseases. Raise the dead. Put out demons. You have received much, now give much. Do not take gold or silver or brass money with you. 10 Do not take a bag of things for the trip. Do not take two coats or shoes or a walking stick. A workman should receive his food and what he needs.

11 “When you come to a city or town, find a home that is respected and stay there until you leave. 12 As you go into a house, tell them you hope good comes to them. 13 And if the house is respected, give them your good wishes. If it is not respected, let your good wishes come back to you. 14 Whoever does not receive you or does not listen to what you say, as you leave that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 For sure, I tell you, it will be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day men stand before God and are told they are guilty, than for that city.

16 “I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all around you. Be wise like snakes and gentle like doves. 17 But look out for men. They will take you up to their courts and they will hurt you in their places of worship. 18 They will take you in front of the leaders of the people and of the kings because of Me. You will tell them and the people who do not know God about Me. 19 When you are put into their hands, do not worry what you will say or how you will say it. The words will be given you when the time comes. 20 It will not be you who will speak the words. The Spirit of your Father will speak through you.

21 “A brother will hand over a brother to be put to death. A father will hand over his child to be put to death. Children will hand over their parents to be put to death. 22 You will be hated by all people because of Me. But he who stays true to the end will be saved. 23 When they make it hard for you in one town, go to another. For sure, I tell you, before you have gone through the Jewish cities, the Son of Man will come.

24 “A follower is not greater than his teacher. A servant who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner. 25 A follower should be happy to be as his teacher, and a servant who is owned by someone should be happy to be as his owner. If they have called the head of the house Satan, how much more will they speak against those of the house. 26 Then do not be afraid of them. For nothing is covered up that will not be brought out into the light. There is nothing hid that will not be made known. 27 You tell in the light what I tell you in the dark. You must speak with a loud voice from the roofs of houses what you have heard. 28 Do not be afraid of them who kill the body. They are not able to kill the soul. But fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two small birds sold for a very small piece of money? And yet not one of the birds falls to the earth without your Father knowing it. 30 God knows how many hairs you have on your head. 31 So do not be afraid. You are more important than many small birds.

32 “Whoever makes Me known in front of men, I will make him known to My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever does not make Me known in front of men and acts as if he does not know Me, I will not make him known to My Father in heaven.

34 “Do not think I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 I came to turn a man against his father. I came to turn a daughter against her mother. I came to turn a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man will be hated by his own family.

Giving Up Things of This Earth (B)

37 “He who loves his father and mother more than Me is not good enough for Me. He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not good enough for Me. 38 He who does not take his cross and follow Me is not good enough for Me. 39 He who wants to keep his life will have it taken away from him. He who loses his life because of Me will have it given back to him.

40 “Whoever receives you, receives Me. Whoever receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me. 41 Whoever receives a preacher who speaks for God because he is a preacher, will get the reward of a preacher who speaks for God. Whoever receives a man right with God, because he is a man right with God, will get the reward of a man right with God. 42 For sure, I tell you, anyone who gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he follows Me, will not lose his reward.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve(A)(B)(C)(D)(E)

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits(F) and to heal every disease and sickness.(G)

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.(H)

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

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

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

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents(Z) and have them put to death.(AA) 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me,(AB) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.(AC) 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.(AD)

24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.(AE) 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,(AF) 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.(AG) 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One(AH) who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are 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.(AI) 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(AJ)

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others,(AK) I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.(AL)

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

“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law(AM)
36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c](AN)

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.(AO) 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.(AP) 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.(AQ)

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,(AR) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(AS) 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. 42 And 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.”(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:8 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  2. Matthew 10:29 Or will; or knowledge
  3. Matthew 10:36 Micah 7:6