Commissioning the Twelve
1 Summoning his twelve disciples, 10:1–4 Mk 3:13–19; 6:13–16 he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every 10:1 Or every kind of disease and sickness. 10:1 Or physical ailment, 10:1 Mt 9:35; Mk 6:7; Lk 9:12 These are the names of the twelve apostles: 10:2 Mt 4:18,21; 16:18; Jn 1:42 First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 10:3 Other mss read and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus4 Simon the Zealot, 10:4 Lit the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 10:4 Mt 26:14; Lk 22:3; Jn 6:71; 13:2,26
5 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: "Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan 10:5 2Kg 17:24; Lk 9:52; 17:16; Jn 4:9; Ac 8:25town.6 Instead, go to the lost sheep 10:6 Ps 119:36; Is 53:6; Jr 50:6; Mt 9:36; 18:12of the house of Israel. 10:6 Ac 2:36; 7:42; Heb 8:8,107 As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 10:7 Mt 3:2–3; 4:17; Lk 10:98 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, 10:8 Gk lepros; a term for various skin diseases; see Lv 13–14drive out demons. 10:8 Mk 3:15; Rv 9:20; 18:2Freely you received, freely give.9 Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts. 10:9–15 Mk 6:6–8; Lk 9:3–5; 10:4–1210 Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker 10:10 Lk 10:7; 1Co 9:14; 1Tm 5:18is 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, 10:12 1Sm 25:6; 1Ch 12:18; Ps 122:7–813 and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you. 10:13 Ps 35:13; Mt 8:8; Ac 16:1514 If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet 10:14 Neh 5:13; Lk 10:11; Ac 13:51when you leave that house or town.15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment 10:15 Mt 12:36; Ac 17:31; Heb 10:25; 2Pt 2:9; 1Jn 4:17for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. 10:15 Mt 11:22,24; 2Pt 2:6; Jd 6–7
Persecutions Predicted
16 "Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. 10:16 Gn 3:1; Lk 10:3; Rm 16:19; Php 2:1517 Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts 10:17 Or sanhedrinsand flog you in their synagogues. 10:17 Mk 13:9,11; Lk 12:11–12; Ac 5:40; 26:1118 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. 10:18 Mt 28:19; Rm 1:5; Gl 1:1619 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. 10:19 Ex 4:12; Nm 23:5; Dt 18:18; Mt 6:25For you will be given what to say at that hour,20 because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit 10:20 Ps 51:11; Jn 1:33; Ac 2:4; Rm 8:9; Gl 5:25; Ti 3:5of your Father is speaking through you. 10:20 Lk 12:12; Ac 4:8; 13:9; 2Co 13:3
21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 10:21 Mc 7:6; Mt 10:35–36; Mk 13:1222 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. 10:22 Mt 24:9; Lk 21:17; Jn 15:18But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 10:22 Mt 24:13; Mk 13:13; Jn 12:12–1323 When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. 10:23 Mt 12:15; Ac 8:1; 9:25; 14:6; 17:10For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.24 A disciple 10:24 Or studentis not above his teacher, or a slave above his master. 10:24 Lk 6:40; Jn 13:16; 15:2025 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! 10:25 2Kg 1:2; Mt 12:24,27; Mk 3:22; Lk 11:15,18–19
Fear God
26 "Therefore, 10:26–33 Lk 12:2–9don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known. 10:26 Mk 4:22; Lk 8:17; 12:227 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, 10:27 Lit in the earproclaim on the housetops. 10:27 Mt 24:17; Lk 5:19; 12:3; Ac 5:2028 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; 10:28 Is 8:12–13; 51:12–13; Jr 1:8; 1Pt 3:14rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 10:28 Mt 5:22; Lk 12:5; Heb 10:31; Jms 4:1229 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? 10:29 Gk assarion, a small copper coinYet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s 10:29 Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42consent. 10:29 Lit ground apart from your Father30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. 10:30 1Sm 14:45; 2Sm 14:11; Lk 21:18; Ac 27:3431 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 10:31 Mt 6:26; 12:12
Acknowledging Christ
32 "Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 10:32 Lk 12:8; Rm 10:9–10; Rv 3:533 But whoever denies me before others, 10:33 Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26; 2Tm 2:12; 2Pt 2:1I 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. 10:34–36 Lk 12:51–5335 For I came to turn
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be
the members of his household. 10:35–36 Mc 7:6, 10:36 Ps 41:9; 55:12–13; Mc 7:6; Jn 13:18
37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; 10:37–39 Lk 14:25–27the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it, 10:39 Mt 16:25; Mk 8:35; Lk 9:24; 17:33; Jn 12:25and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it. 10:39 Mt 9:9; Jn 8:12; 12:26; 21:19
A Cup of Cold Water
40 "The one who welcomes you welcomes me, 10:40 Mt 18:5; Lk 10:16; Jn 13:20; Gl 4:14and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. 10:40 Mk 9:37; Lk 9:48; Jn 12:4441 Anyone who welcomes a prophet 10:41 1Kg 17:10–15; 18:4; 2Kg 4:8; 3Jn 5–8because he is a prophet 10:41 Lit prophet in the name of a prophetwill receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous 10:41 Lit person in the name of a righteous personwill receive a righteous person’s reward.42 And whoever gives 10:42 Mt 25:40; Mk 9:41; Heb 6:10even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, 10:42 Lit little ones in the name of a disciple, 10:42 Mt 28:19; Lk 14:26; Jn 8:31; 13:35; 15:8; Ac 6:1truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward."