1 He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority
over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every
sickness. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first,
Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee;
John, his brother; 3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax
collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Lebbaeus, whose surname was
Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed
him.
5 Jesus sent these twelve out, and charged them, saying, “Don’t go
among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.
6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you
go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ 8 Heal the sick,
cleanse the lepers*1 , and cast out demons.
Freely you received, so freely give. 9 Don’t take any gold, nor
silver, nor brass in your money belts. 10 Take no bag for your journey,
neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his
food. 11 Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it
is worthy; and stay there until you go on. 12 As you enter into
the household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace
come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out
out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Most
assuredly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and
Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore
be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for
they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will
scourge you. 18 Yes, and you will be brought before governors and
kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But
when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for
it will be given you in that hour what you will say. 20 For it is not
you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child.
Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who
endures to the end will be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this
city, flee into the next, for most assuredly I tell you, you will not
have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the
servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,
how much more those of his household! 26 Therefore don’t be afraid of
them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that
will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the
light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the
housetops. 28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able
to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body
in Gehenna.
29 “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion*2 ? Not
one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will, 30 but the
very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Therefore don’t be afraid.
You are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Everyone therefore who
confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in
heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before
my Father who is in heaven.
34 “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come
to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a man at odds against his
father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law. 36 A man’s foes will be those of his own household.
37 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he
who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. 38 He who
doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. 39 He who
finds his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find
it. 40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives
him who sent me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward: and he who receives a righteous man in the
name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 Whoever
gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name
of a disciple, most assuredly I tell you he will in no way lose his
reward.”
1 TR adds “, raise the dead”
2 An assarion is a
small coin worth one tenth of a drachma or a sixteenth of a denarius
(approximately the wages of one half hour of agricultural labor).
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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