Healing the Blind

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”^(A)

²⁸ When He entered the house, the blind men approached Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe^(B) that I can do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they answered Him.

²⁹ Then He touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith!” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Be sure that no one finds out!”^{[a](C) 31} But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole area.

Driving Out a Demon

³² Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to Him.^{(D) 33} When the demon had been driven out, the man^[b] spoke. And the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!”^(E)

Rejection at Nazareth

6 He^(A) went away from there and came to His hometown,^(B) and His disciples^(C) followed Him. ² When the Sabbath^(D) came, He began to teach^(E) in the synagogue,^(F) and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdom^(G) given to Him, and how are these miracles^(H) performed by His hands? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter,^(I) the son of Mary,^(J) and the brother of James,^(K) Joses, Judas,^(L) and Simon? And aren’t His sisters here with us?” So they were offended^(M) by Him.

⁴ Then Jesus said to them, “A prophet^(N) is not without honor^(O) except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household.” ⁵ So He was not able to do any miracles^[a](P) there, except that He laid His hands on^(Q) a few sick^(R) people and healed^(S) them. ⁶ And He was amazed^(T) at their unbelief.^(U)

Commissioning the Twelve

Now He was going around the villages in a circuit, teaching.^(V)

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.

Rejection at Nazareth

⁵⁴ He went to His hometown^(A) and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “How did this wisdom and these miracles come to Him?^{(B) 55} Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?^(C) Isn’t His mother called Mary, and His brothers James,^(D) Joseph,^[a] Simon, and Judas?^{(E) 56} And His sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does He get all these things?” ⁵⁷ And they were offended by Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household.”^{(F) 58} And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

The Lord of the Harvest

³⁵ Then Jesus went to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,^(A) and healing every^[a] disease and every sickness.^{[b] 36} When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out,^(B) like sheep without a shepherd.^{(C) 37} Then He said to His disciples,^(D) “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

⁷ He^(A) summoned^(B) the Twelve^(C) and began to send^(D) them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean^(E) spirits.^{(F) 8} He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a walking stick: no bread, no traveling bag,^(G) no money in their belts. ⁹ They were to wear sandals, but not put on an extra shirt.^{(H) 10} Then He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. ¹¹ If any place does not welcome^(I) you and people refuse to listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet^(J) as a testimony^(K) against them.”^[a]

¹² So they went out and preached^(L) that people should repent.^{(M) 13} And they were driving out many demons,^(N) anointing^(O) many sick^(P) people with olive oil,^(Q) and healing them.^(R)

Commissioning the Twelve

10 Summoning His 12 disciples,^(A) He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every^[a] disease and sickness.^{(B) 2} These are the names of the 12 apostles:^(C)

⁵ Jesus sent out these 12 after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road leading to other nations, and don’t enter any Samaritan^(E) town. ⁶ Instead, go to the lost sheep^(F) of the house of Israel.^{(G) 7} As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’^{(H) 8} Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons.^(I) You have received free of charge; give free of charge. ⁹ Don’t take along gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.^{(J) 10} Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a walking stick, for the worker^(K) is worthy of his food.

¹¹ “When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹² Greet a household when you enter it,^{(L) 13} and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it. But if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.^{(M) 14} If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet^(N) when you leave that house or town. ¹⁵ I assure you: It will be more tolerable on the day of judgment^(O) for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.^(P)

Persecutions Predicted

¹⁶ “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.^{(Q) 17} Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins^[f] and flog you in their synagogues,^(R) beware of them. ¹⁸ You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations.^{(S) 19} But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should speak.^(T) For you will be given what to say at that hour, ²⁰ because you are not speaking, but the Spirit^(U) of your Father is speaking through you.^(V)

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death.^{(W) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of My name.^(X) But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.^{[g](Y) 23} When they persecute you in one town, escape to another.^(Z) For I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ²⁴ A disciple^[h] is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.^{(AA) 25} It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!^(AB)

Fear God

²⁶ “Therefore,^(AC) don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known.^{(AD) 27} What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper,^[i] proclaim on the housetops.^{(AE) 28} Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul;^(AF) rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.^{(AG) 29} Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?^[j] Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s^(AH) consent.^{[k] 30} But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.^{(AI) 31} So don’t be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(AJ)

Acknowledging Christ

³² “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.^{(AK) 33} But whoever denies Me before men,^(AL) I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. ³⁴ Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.^{(AM) 35} For I came to turn

³⁷ The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me;^(AO) the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow^[m] Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ Anyone finding^[n] his life will lose it,^(AP) and anyone losing^[o] his life because of Me will find it.^(AQ)

A Cup of Cold Water

⁴⁰ “The one who welcomes you welcomes Me,^(AR) and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me.^{(AS) 41} Anyone who^[p] welcomes a prophet^(AT) because he is a prophet^[q] will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who^[r] welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous^[s] will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives^(AU) just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple^[t](AV)—I assure you: He will never lose his reward!”

Commissioning the Twelve

9 Summoning the Twelve,^(A) He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and power to heal^[a] diseases.^{(B) 2} Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.^(C)

³ “Take nothing for the road,”^(D) He told them, “no walking stick,^(E) no traveling bag, no bread, no money; and don’t take an extra shirt. ⁴ Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. ⁵ If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”^{(F) 6} So they went out and traveled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.