¹⁶ “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Be on guard against people. They will hand you over to councils, and they will whip you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ You will be brought into the presence of governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ Whenever they hand you over, do not be worried about how you will respond or what you will say, because what you say will be given to you in that hour. ²⁰ In fact you will not be the ones speaking, but the Spirit of your Father will be speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will hand over his brother to death, and a father will do the same with his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ²² You will be hated by all people because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. ²³ And when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Amen I tell you: You will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.