³ Go your way; ^(A)behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

Persecution Will Come

^16 (A)“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be ^(B)wise as serpents and ^(C)innocent as doves.

²⁹ I ^(A)know that after my departure ^(B)fierce wolves will come in among you, ^(C)not sparing the flock;

A Tree and Its Fruit

^15 (A)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ^(B)ravenous wolves.

²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: ^(A)‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, ^(B)they will also persecute you. ^(C)If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

³ And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to ^(A)nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. ^(B)They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. ⁴ The descendants also are ^(C)impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ ⁵ And ^(D)whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are ^(E)a rebellious house) ^(F)they will know that a prophet has been among them. ⁶ And you, son of man, ^(G)be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, ^(H)though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on ^(I)scorpions.^[a] Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.

² and asked him for letters ^(A)to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to ^(B)the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

^2 (A)They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, ^(B)the hour is coming when ^(C)whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

¹² He who is ^(A)a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and ^(B)leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and ^(C)scatters them.