The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service

10 Jesus (A)summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to (B)heal every disease and every sickness.

(C)Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, (D)Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother (E)Andrew; and [a](F)James the son of Zebedee, and his brother [b]John; (G)Philip and [c]Bartholomew; (H)Thomas and (I)Matthew the tax collector; [d](J)James the son of Alphaeus, and (K)Thaddaeus; Simon the [e]Zealot, and (L)Judas Iscariot, the one who also betrayed Him.

(M)These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go on a road [f]to Gentiles, and do not enter a city of (N)Samaritans; but rather go to (O)the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, [g]preach, saying, ‘(P)The kingdom of heaven [h]has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. (Q)Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10 or a [i]bag for your journey, or even two [j]tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for (R)the worker is deserving of his [k]support. 11 And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay [l]at his house until you leave that city. 12 As you enter the [m]house, (S)give it your [n]greeting. 13 If the house is worthy, see that your blessing of peace comes upon it. But if it is not worthy, [o]take back your blessing of peace. 14 And whoever does not receive you nor listen to your words, as you leave that house or city, (T)shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I say to you, (U)it will be more tolerable for the land of (V)Sodom and Gomorrah on (W)the day of judgment, than for that city.

A Hard Road Ahead of Them

16 (X)Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as (Y)wary as serpents, and as (Z)innocent as doves. 17 But be on guard against people, for they will hand you over to the (AA)courts and flog you (AB)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 (AC)But when they hand you over, (AD)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 (AE)it is not you who are speaking, but it is the Spirit of your Father who is speaking [p]in you.

21 “Now (AF)brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and (AG)children will rise up against parents and [q]cause them to be put to death. 22 And (AH)you will be hated by all because of My name, but (AI)it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

23 “But whenever they (AJ)persecute you in [r]one city, flee to the [s]next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel (AK)until the Son of Man comes.

The Meaning of Discipleship

24 (AL)A [t]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. (AM)If they have called the head of the house [u](AN)Beelzebul, how much more will they insult the members of his household!

26 “So do not (AO)fear them, (AP)for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 (AQ)What I tell you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim (AR)on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather (AS)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in [v](AT)hell. 29 (AU)Are two sparrows not sold for an [w]assarion? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But (AV)even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not fear; (AW)you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.

32 “Therefore, (AX)everyone who [x]confesses Me before people, I will also confess [y]him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But (AY)whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

34 (AZ)Do not think that I came to [z]bring peace on the earth; I did not come to [aa]bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to (BA)turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and (BB)a persons enemies will be the members of his household.

37 (BC)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 (BD)the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 (BE)The one who has found his [ab]life will lose it, and the one who has lost his [ac]life on My account will find it.

The Reward for Service

40 (BF)The one who [ad]receives you [ae]receives Me, and (BG)the one who [af]receives Me [ag]receives Him who sent Me. 41 (BH)The one who [ah]receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and the one who [ai]receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person shall receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And (BI)whoever gives one of these [aj]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.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:2 Or Jacob
  2. Matthew 10:2 Gr Joannes, for Heb Johanan
  3. Matthew 10:3 I.e., son of Talmai (Aram)
  4. Matthew 10:3 Or Jacob
  5. Matthew 10:4 Or Cananaean
  6. Matthew 10:5 Lit of
  7. Matthew 10:7 Or proclaim
  8. Matthew 10:7 Or is at hand
  9. Matthew 10:10 Or knapsack; or beggar’s bag
  10. Matthew 10:10 A long shirt worn next to the skin
  11. Matthew 10:10 Lit nourishment
  12. Matthew 10:11 Lit there until
  13. Matthew 10:12 Or household
  14. Matthew 10:12 I.e., the familiar Heb blessing, “Peace be to this house!”
  15. Matthew 10:13 Lit your peace is to return to you
  16. Matthew 10:20 Or by you
  17. Matthew 10:21 Lit put them to death
  18. Matthew 10:23 Lit this
  19. Matthew 10:23 Lit other
  20. Matthew 10:24 Or student
  21. Matthew 10:25 Two early mss Beezebul; meaning uncertain, perhaps lord prince, referring to Satan
  22. Matthew 10:28 Gr Gehenna
  23. Matthew 10:29 A Roman copper coin, worth about 1/16 of a laborer’s daily wage
  24. Matthew 10:32 Lit will confess in Me
  25. Matthew 10:32 Lit in him
  26. Matthew 10:34 Lit cast
  27. Matthew 10:34 Lit cast
  28. Matthew 10:39 Or soul
  29. Matthew 10:39 Or soul
  30. Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
  31. Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
  32. Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
  33. Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
  34. Matthew 10:41 Or welcomes
  35. Matthew 10:41 Or welcomes
  36. Matthew 10:42 Possibly someone of low social standing

Jesus Grants The Twelve Power Over Demons And Every Disease

10 And having summoned His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits so as to be casting them out, and to be curing every disease and every infirmity. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these— first, Simon (the one being called Peter) and Andrew (his brother), and James (the son of Zebedee) and John (his brother), Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew (the tax-collector), James (the son of Alphaeus) and Thaddaeus, Simon (the Cananaean[a]) and Judas the Iscariot[b] (the one also having handed Him over).

Jesus Instructs The Twelve On Where To Go, What To Say, What To Do, How To Live

Jesus sent out these twelve, having instructed[c] them, saying— “Do not go into the path of Gentiles, and do not enter into a city of Samaritans. But be proceeding instead to the lost[d] sheep of the house of Israel. And while proceeding, be proclaiming, saying that ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near’. Be curing ones being sick, raising dead ones, cleansing lepers, casting out demons. You received freely— give freely. Do not acquire[e] gold nor silver nor copper [money] for your [money] belts— 10 not a [traveler’s] bag for the journey, nor two[f] tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff. For the worker is worthy of his food. 11 And into whatever city or village you enter, search-out[g] who is worthy in it, and stay there until you go forth. 12 And while entering into the house, greet[h] it. 13 And if the house is worthy let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever does not welcome you nor listen-to your words— shake-out the dust from your feet while going outside of that house or city. 15 Truly I say to you, it will be more-tolerable[i] for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that city.

Jesus Pre-Warns The Twelve About The Persecution They Will Face In The Future

16 “Behold— I am sending[j] you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be shrewd[k] as the snakes, and innocent[l] as the doves. 17 And beware of people. For they will hand you over to councils[m] and whip you in their synagogues. 18 And you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake— for a testimony to them[n] and to the Gentiles. 19 But whenever they hand you over, do not be anxious-about how or what you should speak. For what you should speak will be given to you in that hour. 20 For you are not the ones speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is the One speaking in you. 21 And brother will hand-over brother to death, and a father his child. And children will rise-up-in-rebellion[o] against parents and they will put them to death. 22 And you will be being hated by all because of My name. But the one having endured to the end[p], this one will be saved. 23 But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For truly I say to you— you will by no means finish the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes[q].

Proclaim The Truth Boldly; Do Not Fear Them. God Will Watch Over You

24 A disciple[r] is not above the teacher, nor is a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they called the Household-Master[s] Beelzebul[t], how much more His household-members! 26 So do not fear[u] them. For nothing has been covered which will not be revealed, and is secret which will not be known. 27 What I am saying to you in the darkness, speak in the light. And what you are hearing in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 And do not be fearing[v] anything from the ones killing the body but not being able to kill the soul. But be fearing instead the One being able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna[w]. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion[x]? And one of them will not fall on the ground apart from[y] your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head have all been numbered! 31 So do not be fearing. You are more valuable than many sparrows.

Jesus Instructs Them About His Mission: I Came To Divide The World Over Myself

32 “Everyone therefore who will confess Me in front of people, I also will confess him in front of My Father in the heavens. 33 But whoever denies[z] Me in front of people, I also will deny him in front of My Father in the heavens. 34 Do not suppose that I came to cast peace over the earth. I did not come to cast peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to cause-a-separation[aa]a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And the enemies of the person will be his household-members. 37 The one loving father or mother above Me is not worthy of Me. And the one loving son or daughter above Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who is not taking his cross[ab] and following after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 The one having found his life will lose it, and the one having lost his life for My sake will find it. 40 The one welcoming[ac] you is welcoming Me. And the one welcoming Me is welcoming the One having sent Me forth. 41 The one welcoming a prophet in the name[ad] of a prophet will receive the reward of a prophet. And the one welcoming a righteous one in the name of a righteous one will receive the reward of a righteous one. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple— truly I say to you he will by no means lose his reward”.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:4 That is, the zealot.
  2. Matthew 10:4 This may mean the one from Kerioth, a town in southern Judea or Moab.
  3. Matthew 10:5 Or, commanded, ordered.
  4. Matthew 10:6 Lit, having gotten lost, having become lost.
  5. Matthew 10:9 Or, get, obtain, procure.
  6. Matthew 10:10 That is, an extra undergarment, an extra pair of sandals, an extra staff (walking stick). Take no extra provisions, nor the means to buy or carry them.
  7. Matthew 10:11 Or inquire into.
  8. Matthew 10:12 That is, express good wishes and God’s blessing toward the house and the people in it.
  9. Matthew 10:15 Or, more endurable, more bearable.
  10. Matthew 10:16 This section is prophetic, looking beyond this mission to their life ministry and beyond.
  11. Matthew 10:16 Or, wise, prudent.
  12. Matthew 10:16 Or, pure.
  13. Matthew 10:17 That is, local Jewish courts, local sanhedrins.
  14. Matthew 10:18 That is, the Jews.
  15. Matthew 10:21 Or, stand-up against.
  16. Matthew 10:22 That is, the end of his life, or the second Coming, whichever comes first.
  17. Matthew 10:23 That is, comes to you at the end of this preaching tour; or, comes as Messiah in Jerusalem in 21:9; or, the coming may refer to His transfiguration, or resurrection, or to the day of Pentecost, or to His coming to destroy Jerusalem in a.d. 70, or to His second Coming.
  18. Matthew 10:24 Or, learner, pupil, student.
  19. Matthew 10:25 That is, Jesus.
  20. Matthew 10:25 That is, the devil.
  21. Matthew 10:26 The grammar implies, Do not become fearful of them.
  22. Matthew 10:28 The grammar implies, Stop fearing or, Do not be in the habit of fearing.
  23. Matthew 10:28 That is, hell.
  24. Matthew 10:29 This Roman coin was worth 1/16th of a denarius (a day’s wage).
  25. Matthew 10:29 That is, without His consent.
  26. Matthew 10:33 Or, repudiates.
  27. Matthew 10:35 Or, divide in two, separate, disunite.
  28. Matthew 10:38 That is, carrying the instrument of his death, his suffering loss for Him, his death to self for Him. In this context, rejection by family members is in view. Note that this is an ongoing, life-long matter.
  29. Matthew 10:40 Or, accepting.
  30. Matthew 10:41 That is, because he is a prophet.