16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.(A) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.(B) 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils(C) and be flogged in the synagogues.(D) 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings(E) 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.(F) At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father(G) speaking through you.

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents(H) and have them put to death.(I) 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me,(J) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.(K) 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.(L)

24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.(M) 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,(N) how much more the members of his household!

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Response to harassment

16 “Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves. 17 Watch out for people—because they will hand you over to councils and they will beat you in their synagogues. 18 They will haul you in front of governors and even kings because of me so that you may give your testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 Whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about how to speak or what you will say, because what you can say will be given to you at that moment. 20 You aren’t doing the talking, but the Spirit of my Father is doing the talking through you. 21 Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to be executed. A father will turn his child in. Children will defy their parents and have them executed. 22 Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved. 23 Whenever they harass you in one city, escape to the next, because I assure that you will not go through all the cities of Israel before the Human One[a] comes.

24 “Disciples aren’t greater than their teacher, and slaves aren’t greater than their master. 25 It’s enough for disciples to be like their teacher and slaves like their master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, it’s certain that they will call the members of his household by even worse names.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:23 Or Son of Man