¹⁷ Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^(A) and be flogged in the synagogues.^{(B) 18} On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^(C) 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.^(D) At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father^(E) speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents^(F) and have them put to death.^{(G) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of me,^(H) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^{(I) 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.^(J)

²⁴ “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.^{(K) 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,^(L) 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.^{(M) 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^(N) 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.^{[a] 30} And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.^{(O) 31} So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(P)

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.^{(A) 6} Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.^{(B) 7} As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven^(C) has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

⁹ “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts^(D)— ¹⁰ no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.^{(E) 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.^{(F) 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.^{(G) 15} Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah^(H) on the day of judgment^(I) than for that town.^(J)

¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.^(K) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.^(L)

¹⁷ Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^(A) and be flogged in the synagogues.^{(B) 18} On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^(C) 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.^(D) At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father^(E) speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents^(F) and have them put to death.^{(G) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of me,^(H) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^(I)

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.^(A)

¹⁸ On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^(A) as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.

8 And Saul^(A) approved of their killing him.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered^(B) throughout Judea and Samaria.^{(C) 2} Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul^(D) began to destroy the church.^(E) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

⁴ Those who had been scattered^(F) preached the word wherever they went.^(G)

⁵ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath^(A), when his righteous judgment^(B) will be revealed. ⁶ God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”^[a](C)

¹⁶ This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets^(A) through Jesus Christ,^(B) as my gospel^(C) declares.

³ For you died,^(A) and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life,^(B) appears,^(C) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(D)