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Matthew 10:16-42
New American Standard Bible
Matthew 10:16-42
New American Standard Bible
A Hard Road Ahead of Them
16 “(A)Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as (B)wary as serpents, and as (C)innocent as doves. 17 But be on guard against people, for they will hand you over to the (D)courts and flog you (E)in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings on My account, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 (F)But when they hand you over, (G)do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you in that hour. 20 For (H)it is not you who are speaking, but it is the Spirit of your Father who is speaking [a]in you.
21 “Now (I)brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and (J)children will rise up against parents and [b]cause them to be put to death. 22 And (K)you will be hated by all because of My name, but (L)it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
23 “But whenever they (M)persecute you in [c]one city, flee to the [d]next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel (N)until the Son of Man comes.
The Meaning of Discipleship
24 “(O)A [e]disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he may become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. (P)If they have called the head of the house [f](Q)Beelzebul, how much more will they insult the members of his household!
26 “So do not (R)fear them, (S)for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 (T)What I tell you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim (U)on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather (V)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in [g](W)hell. 29 (X)Are two sparrows not sold for an [h]assarion? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But (Y)even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not fear; (Z)you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.
32 “Therefore, (AA)everyone who [i]confesses Me before people, I will also confess [j]him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But (AB)whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “(AC)Do not think that I came to [k]bring peace on the earth; I did not come to [l]bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to (AD)turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and (AE)a person’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37 “(AF)The one who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and the one who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And (AG)the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 (AH)The one who has found his [m]life will lose it, and the one who has lost his [n]life on My account will find it.
The Reward for Service
40 “(AI)The one who [o]receives you [p]receives Me, and (AJ)the one who [q]receives Me [r]receives Him who sent Me. 41 (AK)The one who [s]receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and the one who [t]receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person shall receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And (AL)whoever gives one of these [u]little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 10:20 Or by you
- Matthew 10:21 Lit put them to death
- Matthew 10:23 Lit this
- Matthew 10:23 Lit other
- Matthew 10:24 Or student
- Matthew 10:25 Two early mss Beezebul; meaning uncertain, perhaps lord prince, referring to Satan
- Matthew 10:28 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 10:29 A Roman copper coin, worth about 1/16 of a laborer’s daily wage
- Matthew 10:32 Lit will confess in Me
- Matthew 10:32 Lit in him
- Matthew 10:34 Lit cast
- Matthew 10:34 Lit cast
- Matthew 10:39 Or soul
- Matthew 10:39 Or soul
- Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
- Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
- Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
- Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
- Matthew 10:41 Or welcomes
- Matthew 10:41 Or welcomes
- Matthew 10:42 Possibly someone of low social standing
Matthew 10:16-42
New International Version
Matthew 10:16-42
New International Version
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.(A) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.(B) 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils(C) and be flogged in the synagogues.(D) 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings(E) as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.(F) At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father(G) speaking through you.
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents(H) and have them put to death.(I) 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me,(J) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.(K) 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.(L)
24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.(M) 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,(N) how much more the members of his household!
26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.(O) 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One(P) who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.(Q) 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(R)
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others,(S) I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.(T)
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law(U)—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[b](V)
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.(W) 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.(X) 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.(Y)
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,(Z) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(AA) 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”(AB)
Footnotes
- Matthew 10:29 Or will; or knowledge
- Matthew 10:36 Micah 7:6
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.