The Twelve Apostles
1 And Mark 3:13; Luke 6:13when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, John 1:42who 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 Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13Simon the Cananite, and Judas Matt. 26:14; Luke 22:3; John 13:2, 26Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
Sending Out the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: Matt. 4:15"Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of 2 Kin. 17:24; Luke 9:52; 10:33; 17:16; John 4:9the Samaritans.6 Matt. 15:24; Acts 13:46But go rather to the Is. 53:6; Jer. 50:6lost sheep of the house of Israel.7 Luke 9:2And as you go, preach, saying, Matt. 3:2; Luke 10:9‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. (Acts 8:18)Freely you have received, freely give.9 1 Sam. 9:7; Mark 6:8Provide neither gold nor silver nor Mark 6:8copper in your money belts,10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; Luke 10:7; (1 Cor. 9:4–14); 1 Tim. 5:18for a worker is worthy of his food.
11 Luke 10:8"Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.12 And when you go into a household, greet it.13 Luke 10:5If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. Ps. 35:13But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.14 Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, Neh. 5:13; Luke 10:10, 11; Acts 13:51shake off the dust from your feet.15 Assuredly, I say to you, Matt. 11:22, 24it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!
Persecutions Are Coming
16 Luke 10:3"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. 2 Cor. 12:16; Eph. 5:15; Col. 4:5Therefore be wise as serpents and (Phil. 2:14–16)harmless as doves.17 But beware of men, for Matt. 23:34; Mark 13:9; Luke 12:11they will deliver you up to councils and Acts 5:40; 22:19; 26:11scourge you in their synagogues.18 Acts 12:1; 2 Tim. 4:16You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.19 Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11, 12; 21:14, 15But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For Ex. 4:12; Jer. 1:7it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;20 2 Sam. 23:2; (2 Tim. 4:17)for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 Mic. 7:6; Luke 21:16"Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.22 And Matt. 24:9; Luke 21:17; John 15:18you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. (Dan. 12:12); Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:13But he who endures to the end will be saved.23 Matt. 2:13; Acts 8:1When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have (Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10)gone through the cities of Israel Matt. 16:28before the Son of Man comes.
24 Luke 6:40; John 15:20"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15, 18, 19; John 8:48, 52they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!26 Therefore do not fear them. Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17; 12:2, 3; (1 Cor. 4:5)For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
Jesus Teaches the Fear of God
27 "Whatever I tell you in the dark, Luke 12:3; Acts 5:20speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.28 Luke 12:4; (1 Pet. 3:14)And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather Is. 8:13; Matt. 5:22; Luke 12:5fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.29 Are not two Luke 12:6, 7sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.30 1 Sam. 14:45; 2 Sam. 14:11; 1 Kin. 1:52; Luke 21:18; Acts 27:34But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Confess Christ Before Men
32 Ps. 119:46; Luke 12:8; (Rom. 10:9)"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, (Rev. 3:5)him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.33 (Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26); 2 Tim. 2:12But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Christ Brings Division
34 (Luke 12:49)"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.35 For I have come to Mic. 7:6; Matt. 10:21; Luke 12:53‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;36 and Ps. 41:9; 55:13; John 13:18‘a man’s enemieswill bethose of hisownhousehold.’37 Deut. 33:9; Luke 14:26He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.38 (Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; 14:27)And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.39 Matt. 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; John 12:25He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
A Cup of Cold Water
40 Mark 9:37; Luke 9:48; John 12:44; Gal. 4:14"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.41 1 Kin. 17:10; 2 Kin. 4:8He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.42 (Matt. 25:40); Mark 9:41; Heb. 6:10And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."