Persecutions Predicted

¹⁶ “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.^{(A) 17} Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins^[a] and flog you in their synagogues,^(B) 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.^{(C) 19} But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should speak.^(D) For you will be given what to say at that hour, ²⁰ because you are not speaking, but the Spirit^(E) of your Father is speaking through you.^(F)

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.^{(G) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of My name.^(H) But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.^{[b](I) 23} When they persecute you in one town, escape to another.^(J) For I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ²⁴ A disciple^[c] is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.^{(K) 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!^(L)

Fear God

²⁶ “Therefore,^(M) 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.^{(N) 27} What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper,^[d] proclaim on the housetops.^{(O) 28} Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul;^(P) rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.^{(Q) 29} Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?^[e] Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s^(R) consent.^{[f] 30} But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.^{(S) 31} So don’t be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(T)

Acknowledging Christ

³² “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.^{(U) 33} But whoever denies Me before men,^(V) 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.^{(W) 35} For I came to turn

³⁷ The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me;^(Y) 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^[h] Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ Anyone finding^[i] his life will lose it,^(Z) and anyone losing^[j] his life because of Me will find it.^(AA)

A Cup of Cold Water

⁴⁰ “The one who welcomes you welcomes Me,^(AB) and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me.^{(AC) 41} Anyone who^[k] welcomes a prophet^(AD) because he is a prophet^[l] will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who^[m] welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous^[n] will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives^(AE) just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple^[o](AF)—I assure you: He will never lose his reward!”

⁸ But if anyone does not provide^(A) for his own, that is his own household, he has denied the faith^(B) and is worse than an unbeliever.

Titus’s Ministry in Crete

⁵ The reason I left you in Crete^(A) was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders^(B) in every town: ⁶ one^(C) who is blameless,^(D) the husband of one wife, having faithful^[a] children not accused of wildness or rebellion. ⁷ For an overseer,^(E) as God’s administrator, must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, ⁸ but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, ⁹ holding to the faithful message as taught,^(F) so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching^(G) and to refute those who contradict it.

Qualifications of Church Leaders

3 This saying is trustworthy:^[a](A) “If anyone aspires to be an overseer,^(B) he desires a noble work.” ² An overseer,^(C) therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible,^(D) respectable, hospitable,^(E) an able teacher,^{[b] 3} not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy^(F)— ⁴ one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity. ⁵ (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) ⁶ He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the Devil.^{(G) 7} Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the Devil’s^(H) trap.

About the Elders

5 Therefore, as a fellow elder and witness^(A) to the sufferings of the Messiah and also a participant in the glory about to be revealed,^(B) I exhort the elders among you: ² Shepherd God’s flock among you,^(C) not overseeing^[a] out of compulsion but freely, according to God’s will;^[b] not for the money but eagerly; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the chief Shepherd^(D) appears, you will receive the unfading crown^(E) of glory.