Matthew 9:36-10:23

New American Standard Bible

^36 (A)Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, ^(B)because they were ^[a]distressed and downcast, like sheep ^[b]without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then He *said to His disciples, “^(C)The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service

10 Jesus ^(D)summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to ^(E)heal every disease and every sickness.

^2 (F)Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, ^(G)Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother ^(H)Andrew; and ^[c](I)James the son of Zebedee, and his brother ^[d]John; ^3 (J)Philip and ^[e]Bartholomew; ^(K)Thomas and ^(L)Matthew the tax collector; ^[f](M)James the son of Alphaeus, and ^(N)Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the ^[g]Zealot, and ^(O)Judas Iscariot, the one who also betrayed Him.

^5 (P)These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go on a road ^[h]to Gentiles, and do not enter a city of ^(Q)Samaritans; ⁶ but rather go to ^(R)the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, ^[i]preach, saying, ‘^(S)The kingdom of heaven ^[j]has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. ^9 (T)Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, ¹⁰ or a ^[k]bag for your journey, or even two ^[l]tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for ^(U)the worker is deserving of his ^[m]support. ¹¹ And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay ^[n]at his house until you leave that city. ¹² As you enter the ^[o]house, ^(V)give it your ^[p]greeting. ¹³ If the house is worthy, see that your blessing of peace comes upon it. But if it is not worthy, ^[q]take back your blessing of peace. ¹⁴ And whoever does not receive you nor listen to your words, as you leave that house or city, ^(W)shake the dust off your feet. ¹⁵ Truly I say to you, ^(X)it will be more tolerable for the land of ^(Y)Sodom and Gomorrah on ^(Z)the day of judgment, than for that city.

A Hard Road Ahead of Them

¹⁶ “^(AA)Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as ^(AB)wary as serpents, and as ^(AC)innocent as doves. ¹⁷ But be on guard against people, for they will hand you over to the ^(AD)courts and flog you ^(AE)in their synagogues; ¹⁸ and you will even be brought before governors and kings on My account, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ^19 (AF)But when they hand you over, ^(AG)do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you in that hour. ²⁰ For ^(AH)it is not you who are speaking, but it is the Spirit of your Father who is speaking ^[r]in you.

²¹ “Now ^(AI)brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and ^(AJ)children will rise up against parents and ^[s]cause them to be put to death. ²² And ^(AK)you will be hated by all because of My name, but ^(AL)it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

²³ “But whenever they ^(AM)persecute you in ^[t]one city, flee to the ^[u]next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel ^(AN)until the Son of Man comes.