Jesus Warns His Apostles^(A)

¹⁶ “·Listen [^LLook; ^TBehold], I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as ·clever [wise; shrewd; cunning] as ·snakes [serpents] and as ·innocent [harmless] as doves. ¹⁷ ·Be careful of [Beware of; Watch out for] people, because they will ·arrest you and take you to court [hand you over to the courts/councils; ^Clocal councils associated with Jewish synagogues] and ·whip [flog; scourge] you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ ·Because of me [On my account; For my sake] you will be taken to stand before governors and kings, ·and you will tell them and the Gentiles about me [^Las a witness/testimony to them and to the Gentiles]. ¹⁹ When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say or how to say it. [^LFor] At that time you will be given the things to say. ²⁰ It will not really be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking ·through [in] you.

²¹ “Brothers will ·give [betray; hand over] their own brothers to ·be killed [death], and fathers will give their own children to ·be killed [death]. Children will ·fight [rebel; rise up] against their own parents and have them put to death. ²² All people will hate you because ·you follow me [^Lof my name], but those people who ·keep their faith [endure; stand firm; persevere] until the end will be saved. ²³ When you are ·treated badly [persecuted] in one city, ·run [flee] to ·another city [the next]. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes [Dan. 7:13–14].

²⁴ “A ·student [disciple; follower] is not ·better than [superior to; ^Labove] his teacher, and a ·servant [slave] is not ·better than [superior to; ^Labove] his ·master [lord]. ²⁵ ·A student should be satisfied [^LIt is enough for a student/disciple/follower] to become like his teacher; ·a servant should be satisfied to become [^Land a servant/slave] like his master. If the head of the family [^Chere referring to Jesus] is called Beelzebul [^Canother name for Satan], ·then the other members of the family will be called worse names [^Lhow much more the members of his household]!

⁹ “You must ·be careful [watch out; be on guard]. People will arrest you and take you to ·court [local councils] and ·beat [flog] you in their synagogues. You will be forced to stand before governors and kings to ·tell them [testify; bear witness] about me, ·because you follow me [on account of me]. ¹⁰ But before these things happen, the ·Good News [Gospel] must be ·told [preached; proclaimed] to all ·people [nations]. ¹¹ When you are arrested and ·judged [brought to trial], don’t worry ahead of time about what you should say. Say whatever is given you to say at that time, because it will not really be you speaking; it will be the Holy Spirit.

¹² “Brothers will ·give [betray; hand over] their own brothers to ·be killed [death], and fathers will give their own children to ·be killed [death]. Children will ·fight [rebel; rise up] against their own parents and cause them to be put to death. ¹³ All people will hate you because ·you follow me [^Lof my name], but those people who ·keep their faith [endure; stand firm; persevere] until the end will be saved.

⁴⁰ A ·student [disciple] is not ·better than [above] the teacher, but ·the student [^Leveryone] who has been fully trained will be like the teacher.

¹¹ “When you are brought into the synagogues before the leaders and ·other powerful people [authorities], don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say. ¹² [^LFor] At that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you ·must [ought/need to] say [Matt. 10:19–20; Mark 13:11].”

¹² “But before all these things happen, people will ·arrest [seize; ^Llay their hands on] you and ·treat you cruelly [persecute you]. They will ·judge you in their [drag you into the; ^Lhand you over to] synagogues and put you in jail and force you to stand before kings and governors, because ·you follow me [of your allegiance to me; ^Lof my name]. ¹³ But this will give you an opportunity to ·tell [testify; bear witness] about me. ¹⁴ [^LSo; Therefore] ·Make up your minds [Resolve; ^LPut it in your hearts] not to ·worry [or rehearse] ahead of time about what you will say [12:11]. ¹⁵ [^LFor] I will give you ·the wisdom to say things [words and wisdom] that none of your enemies will be able to ·stand against [resist] or ·prove wrong [refute; contradict]. ¹⁶ Even your parents, brothers [and sisters], relatives, and friends will ·turn against you [betray you; ^Lhand you over], and they will kill some of you. ¹⁷ All people will hate you because ·you follow me [^Lof my name]. ¹⁸ But ·none of these things can really harm you [^Lnot a hair on your head will perish; ^Ca metaphor for living forever with God]. ¹⁹ By ·continuing to have faith [your endurance/perseverance] you will ·save your lives [or gain/win your souls].