Matthew 10
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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)
First, Simon, who is called Peter,
and Andrew his brother;
James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother;
3 Philip and Bartholomew;[b]
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[c]
4 Simon the Zealot,[d] and Judas Iscariot,[e]
who also betrayed Him.(D)
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
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be
the members of his household.(AN)[l]
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!”
Footnotes
- Matthew 10:1 Or every kind of
- Matthew 10:3 Probably the Nathanael of Jn 1:45-51
- Matthew 10:3 Other mss read and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus
- Matthew 10:4 Lit the Cananaean
- Matthew 10:4 Iscariot is probably “a man of Kerioth,” a town in Judea.
- Matthew 10:17 Local Jewish courts or local councils
- Matthew 10:22 Or saved
- Matthew 10:24 Or student
- Matthew 10:27 Lit in the ear
- Matthew 10:29 Gk assarion, a small copper coin
- Matthew 10:29 Lit ground apart from your Father
- Matthew 10:36 Mc 7:6
- Matthew 10:38 Lit follow after
- Matthew 10:39 Or The one who finds
- Matthew 10:39 Or and the one who loses
- Matthew 10:41 Or The one who
- Matthew 10:41 Lit prophet in the name of a prophet
- Matthew 10:41 Or And the one who
- Matthew 10:41 Lit person in the name of a righteous person
- Matthew 10:42 Lit little ones in the name of a disciple
Matthew 10
New Living Translation
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
10 Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil[a] spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. 2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles:
first, Simon (also called Peter),
then Andrew (Peter’s brother),
James (son of Zebedee),
John (James’s brother),
3 Philip,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew (the tax collector),
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,[b]
4 Simon (the zealot[c]),
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, 6 but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. 7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.[d] 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
9 “Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.
11 “Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12 When you enter the home, give it your blessing. 13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. 14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 17 But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. 18 You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.[e] 19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. 20 For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 22 And all nations will hate you because you are my followers.[f] But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man[g] will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.
24 “Students[h] are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons,[i] the members of my household will be called by even worse names!
26 “But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. 27 What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.[j] 29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin[k]? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
35 ‘I have come to set a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36 Your enemies will be right in your own household!’[l]
37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
40 “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 41 If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God,[m] you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. 42 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”
Footnotes
- 10:1 Greek unclean.
- 10:3 Other manuscripts read Lebbaeus; still others read Lebbaeus who is called Thaddaeus.
- 10:4 Greek the Cananean, an Aramaic term for Jewish nationalists.
- 10:7 Or has come, or is coming soon.
- 10:18 Or But this will be your testimony against the rulers and other unbelievers.
- 10:22 Greek on account of my name.
- 10:23 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 10:24 Or Disciples.
- 10:25 Greek Beelzeboul; other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.
- 10:28 Greek Gehenna.
- 10:29 Greek one assarion [i.e., one “as,” a Roman coin equal to 1⁄16 of a denarius].
- 10:35-36 Mic 7:6.
- 10:41 Greek receive a prophet in the name of a prophet.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
