⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.^{(A) 6} Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.^{(B) 7} As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven^(C) has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

⁹ “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts^(D)— ¹⁰ no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.^{(E) 11} Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. ¹² As you enter the home, give it your greeting.^{(F) 13} If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.^{(G) 15} Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah^(H) on the day of judgment^(I) than for that town.^(J)

¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.^(K) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.^{(L) 17} Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^(M) and be flogged in the synagogues.^{(N) 18} On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^(O) 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.^(P) At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father^(Q) speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents^(R) and have them put to death.^{(S) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of me,^(T) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^{(U) 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.^(V)

²⁴ “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.^{(W) 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,^(X) 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.^{(Y) 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^(Z) 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.^{[b] 30} And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.^{(AA) 31} So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(AB)

³² “Whoever acknowledges me before others,^(AC) I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.^(AD)

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

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.^{(AG) 38} Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.^{(AH) 39} Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.^(AI)

⁴⁰ “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,^(AJ) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^{(AK) 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.”^(AL)

Jesus and John the Baptist^(AM)

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,^(AN) he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.^[d]

⁷ Calling the Twelve to him,^(A) he began to send them out two by two^(B) and gave them authority over impure spirits.^(C)

⁸ These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. ¹⁰ Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. ¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet^(D) as a testimony against them.”

¹² They went out and preached that people should repent.^{(E) 13} They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil^(F) and healed them.

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us^(A)

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”^(B)

³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us.^{(C) 41} Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.^(D)

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve^(A)(B)

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons^(C) and to cure diseases,^{(D) 2} and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God^(E) and to heal the sick. ³ He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.^{(F) 4} Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵ If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”^{(G) 6} So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

⁴⁹ “Master,”^(A) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

⁵⁰ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”^(B)

⁴ “I tell you, my friends,^(A) do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.^{(B) 6} Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.^(C) Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(D)

⁸ “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.^{(E) 9} But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned^(F) before the angels of God. ¹⁰ And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man^(G) will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.^(H)

¹¹ “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,^{(I) 12} for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”^(J)

Not Peace but Division^(A)

⁴⁹ “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism^(B) to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!^{(C) 51} Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵² From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”^(D)