¹⁶ Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be ^[a]wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and ^[b]without falsity) as doves.^(A)

¹⁷ Be on guard against men [whose ^[c]way or nature is to act in opposition to God]; for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues,

¹⁸ And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a witness to bear testimony before them and to the Gentiles (the nations).

¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and ^[d]moment,

²⁰ For it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹ Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children will take a stand against their parents and will have them put to death.

²² And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake, but he who perseveres and endures to the end will be saved [^[e]from spiritual disease and death in the world to come].

²³ When they persecute you in one town [that is, pursue you in a manner that would injure you and cause you to suffer because of your belief], flee to another town; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before ^[f] the Son of Man comes.

²⁴ A disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a servant or slave above his master.

²⁵ It is sufficient for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant or slave like his master. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub [^[g]master of the dwelling], how much more will they speak evil of those of His household.^(B)

²⁶ So have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or kept secret that will not become known.

²⁷ What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

²⁸ And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).

²⁹ Are not two ^[h]little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice.

³⁰ But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

³¹ Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows.

³² Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [^[i]out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father Who is in heaven and ^[j]confess [that I am abiding in] him.

³³ But whoever denies and disowns Me before men, I also will deny and disown him before My Father Who is in heaven.

³⁴ Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

³⁵ For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a ^[k]newly married wife from her mother-in-law—

³⁶ And a man’s foes will be they of his own household.^(C)

³⁷ He who loves [and ^[l]takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me;

³⁸ And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [^[m]cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.

³⁹ Whoever finds his [^[n]lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].