Jesus Appoints Twelve Apostles^(A)

10 Then Jesus^[a] called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and every illness. ² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;^{[b] 4} Simon the Cananaean^[c] and Judas Iscariot, who later^[d] betrayed Jesus.^[e]

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples^(B)

⁵ These were the Twelve whom Jesus sent out after he had given them these^[f] instructions: “Don’t turn on to the road that leads to the unbelievers,^[g] and don’t enter Samaritan towns. ⁶ Instead, go to the lost sheep of the nation^[h] of Israel. ⁷ As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom from^[i] heaven is near!’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.

⁹ Don’t take any gold, silver, or copper in your moneybags, ¹⁰ or a traveling bag for the trip, or an extra shirt,^[j] or sandals, or a walking stick, because a worker deserves his food.

¹¹ “Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is receptive^[k] in it and stay there until you leave. ¹² As you enter the house, greet its occupants.^{[l] 13} If the household is receptive,^[m] let your blessing of peace come on it. But if it isn’t receptive,^[n] let your blessing of peace return to you. ¹⁴ If no one welcomes you or listens to your words, as you leave that house or town, shake its dust off your feet. ¹⁵ I tell all of you^[o] with certainty, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!”

Future Persecutions^(C)

¹⁶ “Pay attention, now! I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Watch out for people who will hand you over to the local councils and whip you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ You will be brought before governors and kings because of me, to testify to them and to unbelievers.^{[p] 19} When they hand you over, don’t worry about how you are to speak^[q] or what you are to say, because in that hour what you are to say will be given to you. ²⁰ It won’t be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through^[r] you.

²¹ “Brother will hand brother over for execution, and a father his child. Children will rebel against parents and have them put to death. ²² You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ So when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, because I tell all of you^[s] with certainty that you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴ “A disciple is not above his teacher, and a slave is not above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a slave to be like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul,^[t] how much more will they do the same to^[u] those of his household!”

Fear God^(D)

²⁶ “So never be afraid of them, because there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not be made known. ²⁷ What I tell you in darkness you must speak in the daylight, and what is whispered^[v] in your ear you must shout from the housetops. ²⁸ Stop being^[w] afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.^[x]

²⁹ “Two sparrows are sold for a penny, aren’t they? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s permission.^{[y] 30} Indeed, even the hairs on your head have all been counted! ³¹ So stop being^[z] afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows.”

Acknowledging the Messiah^(E)

³² “Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before people I, too, will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies me before people I, too, will deny before my Father in heaven.”

Not Peace, but Division^(F)

³⁴ “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword!^{[aa] 35} I came to turn

The Cost of Discipleship^(G)

³⁷ “The one who loves his father or mother more than me isn’t worthy of me, and the one who loves a son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. ³⁸ The one who doesn’t take up his cross and follow me isn’t worthy of me. ³⁹ The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.”

Rewards^(H)

⁴⁰ “The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. ⁴¹ The one who receives a prophet as^[ac] a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person as^[ad] a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² I tell all of you^[ae] with certainty, whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is^[af] a disciple will never lose his reward.”