³ Go your way; ^(A)behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

Persecutions Are Coming^(A)

^16 (B)“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. ^(C)Therefore be wise as serpents and ^(D)harmless^[a] as doves.

²⁹ For I know this, that after my departure ^(A)savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits^(A)

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

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

³ And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has ^(A)rebelled against Me; ^(B)they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. ^4 (C)For they are ^[a]impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ ^5 (D)As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a ^(E)rebellious house—yet they ^(F)will know that a prophet has been among them.

⁶ “And you, son of man, ^(G)do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though ^(H)briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; ^(I)do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, ^(J)though they are a rebellious house.

² and asked ^(A)letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

^2 (A)They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming ^(B)that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

¹² But a ^[a]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and ^(A)leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.