^24 (A)“No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master. ^25 (B)So a pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul, the members of the family will be called even worse names!

Whom to Fear^(C)

^26 (D)“So do not be afraid of people. Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. ²⁷ What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops. ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell. ²⁹ For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. ³⁰ As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. ³¹ So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!

Confessing and Rejecting Christ^(E)

³² “Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven. ^33 (F)But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword^(G)

³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ^35 (H)I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law; ³⁶ your worst enemies will be the members of your own family.

³⁷ “Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples. ^38 (I)Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples. ^39 (J)Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.