¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.^(A) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.^{(B) 17} Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^(C) and be flogged in the synagogues.^{(D) 18} On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^(E) 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.^(F) At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father^(G) speaking through you.

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

²⁴ “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.^{(M) 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,^(N) 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.^{(O) 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^(P) 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.^{(Q) 31} So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(R)

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

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

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.^{(W) 38} Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.^{(X) 39} Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.^(Y)

⁴⁰ “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,^(Z) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^{(AA) 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.”^(AB)

The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “If the world hates you,^(A) keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you^(B) out of the world. That is why the world hates you.^{(C) 20} Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^[a](D) If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.^(E) If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name,^(F) for they do not know the one who sent me.^{(G) 22} If I had not come and spoken to them,^(H) they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.^{(I) 23} Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did,^(J) they would not be guilty of sin.^(K) As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law:^(L) ‘They hated me without reason.’^[b](M)

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.^(A) In this world you will have trouble.^(B) But take heart! I have overcome^(C) the world.”