Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁵ Jesus sent these Twelve off with the following instructions.

“Don’t go into Gentile territory,” he said, “and don’t go into a Samaritan town. ⁶ Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ As you go, declare publicly that the kingdom of heaven has arrived. ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse people with skin diseases, cast out demons.

“You received without cost; give without charge. ⁹ Don’t take any gold or silver or copper in your belts; ¹⁰ no bag for the road, no second cloak, no sandals, no stick. Workers deserve their keep.

¹¹ “When you go into a town or village, make careful inquiry for someone who is good and trustworthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹² When you go into the house give a solemn greeting. ¹³ If the house is trustworthy, let your blessing of peace rest upon it, but if not, let it return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone won’t welcome you or listen to your message, go out of the house or the town and shake the dust off your feet. ¹⁵ I’m telling you the truth: it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”

Sheep among wolves

¹⁶ “See here,” Jesus continued, “I’m sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes, and as innocent as doves.

¹⁷ “Watch out for danger from people around you. They will hand you over to councils, and flog you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ You will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as evidence to them and to the nations. ¹⁹ But when they hand you over, don’t worry how to speak or what to say. What you have to say will be given to you at that moment. ²⁰ It won’t be you speaking, you see; it will be the spirit of your father speaking in you.

²¹ “One brother will betray another to death; fathers will betray children, and children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ²² You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who holds out to the end will be delivered.

²³ “When they persecute you in one town, run off to the next one. I’m telling you the truth: you won’t have gone through all the towns of Israel before the son of man comes.”