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)

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

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!”