New Testament in a Year
21 “Brother will hand brother over for execution, and a father his child. Children will rebel against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved. 23 So when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, because I tell all of you[a] with certainty that you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, and a slave is not above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a slave to be like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul,[b] how much more will they do the same to[c] those of his household!”
Fear God(A)
26 “So never be afraid of them, because there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in darkness you must speak in the daylight, and what is whispered[d] in your ear you must shout from the housetops. 28 Stop being[e] afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.[f]
29 “Two sparrows are sold for a penny, aren’t they? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s permission.[g] 30 Indeed, even the hairs on your head have all been counted! 31 So stop being[h] afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows.”
Acknowledging the Messiah(B)
32 “Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before people I, too, will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people I, too, will deny before my Father in heaven.”
Not Peace, but Division(C)
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword![i] 35 I came to turn
‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36 A person’s enemies will include members of his own family.’[j]
The Cost of Discipleship(D)
37 “The one who loves his father or mother more than me isn’t worthy of me, and the one who loves a son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. 38 The one who doesn’t take up his cross and follow me isn’t worthy of me. 39 The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.”
Rewards(E)
40 “The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet as[k] a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person as[l] a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 I tell all of you[m] with certainty, whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is[n] a disciple will never lose his reward.”
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