Matthew 10

Commissioning the Twelve

1Summoning His 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.[#Mk 3:13-19; 6:13-16; #Or every kind of; #Mt 9:35; Mk 6:7; Lk 9:1]

2These are the names of the 12 apostles:[#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;

3Philip and Bartholomew;[#Probably the Nathanael of Jn 1:45-51]

Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;

James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot,[#Lit the Cananaean; #Iscariot is probably “a man of Kerioth,” a town in Judea.]

who also betrayed Him.

5Jesus sent out these 12 after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road leading to other nations, and don’t enter any Samaritan town.[#2Kg 17:24; Lk 9:52; 17:16; Jn 4:9; Ac 8:25]

6Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.[#Ps 119:36; Is 53:6; Jr 50:6; Mt 9:36; 18:12; #Ac 2:36; 7:42; Heb 8:8,10]

7As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’[#Mt 3:2-3; 4:17; Lk 10:9]

8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge.[#Mk 3:15; Rv 9:20; 18:2]

9Don’t take along gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.[#Mk 6:6-8; Lk 9:3-5; 10:4-12]

10Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a walking stick, for the worker is worthy of his food.[#Lk 10:7; 1Co 9:14; 1Tm 5:18]

11“When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave.

12Greet a household when you enter it,[#1Sm 25:6; 1Ch 12:18; Ps 122:7-8]

13and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it. But if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.[#Ps 35:13; Mt 8:8; Ac 16:15]

14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town.[#Neh 5:13; Lk 10:11; Ac 13:51]

15I assure you: It will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.[#Mt 12:36; Ac 17:31; Heb 10:25; 2Pt 2:9; 1Jn 4:17; #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 harmless as doves.[#Gn 3:1; Lk 10:3; Rm 16:19; Php 2:15]

17Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins and flog you in their synagogues, beware of them.[#Local Jewish courts or local councils; #Mk 13:9,11; Lk 12:11-12; Ac 5:40; 26:11]

18You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations.[#Mt 28:19; Rm 1:5; Gl 1:16]

19But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour,[#Ex 4:12; Nm 23:5; Dt 18:18; Mt 6:25]

20because you are not speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.[#Ps 51:11; Jn 1:33; Ac 2:4; Rm 8:9; Gl 5:25; Ti 3:5; #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 even rise up against their parents and have them put to death.[#Mc 7:6; Mt 10:35-36; Mk 13:12]

22You will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.[#Mt 24:9; Lk 21:17; Jn 15:18; #Or saved; #Mt 24:13; Mk 13:13; Jn 12:12-13]

23When they persecute you in one town, escape to another. For I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.[#Mt 12:15; Ac 8:1; 9:25; 14:6; 17:10]

24A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.[#Or student; #Lk 6:40; Jn 13:16; 15:20]

25It 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![#2Kg 1:2; Mt 12:24,27; Mk 3:22; Lk 11:15,18-19]

Fear God

26“Therefore, don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known.[#Lk 12:2-9; #Mk 4:22; Lk 8:17; 12:2]

27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops.[#Lit in the ear; #Mt 24:17; Lk 5:19; 12:3; Ac 5:20]

28Don’t fear 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 hell.[#Is 8:12-13; 51:12-13; Jr 1:8; 1Pt 3:14; #Mt 5:22; Lk 12:5; Heb 10:31; Jms 4:12]

29Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent.[#Gk assarion, a small copper coin; #Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42; #Lit ground apart from your Father]

30But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.[#1Sm 14:45; 2Sm 14:11; Lk 21:18; Ac 27:34]

31So don’t be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows.[#Mt 6:26; 12:12]

Acknowledging Christ

32“Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.[#Lk 12:8; Rm 10:9-10; Rv 3:5]

33But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.[#Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26; 2Tm 2:12; 2Pt 2:1]

34Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.[#Lk 12:51-53]

35For I came to turn

a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36and a man’s enemies will be

the members of his household.

37The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.[#Lk 14:25-27]

38And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.[#Lit follow after]

39Anyone finding his life will lose it, and anyone losing his life because of Me will find it.[#Or The one who finds; #Mt 16:25; Mk 8:35; Lk 9:24; 17:33; Jn 12:25; #Or and the one who loses; #Mt 9:9; Jn 8:12; 12:26; 21:19]

A Cup of Cold Water

40“The one who welcomes you welcomes Me, and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me.[#Mt 18:5; Lk 10:16; Jn 13:20; Gl 4:14; #Mk 9:37; Lk 9:48; Jn 12:44]

41Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward.[#Or The one who; #1Kg 17:10-15; 18:4; 2Kg 4:8; 3Jn 5-8; #Lit prophet in the name of a prophet; #Or And the one who; #Lit person in the name of a righteous person]

42And whoever gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple — I assure you: He will never lose his reward! ”[#Mt 25:40; Mk 9:41; Heb 6:10; #Lit little ones in the name of a disciple; #Mt 28:19; Lk 14:26; Jn 8:31; 13:35; 15:8; Ac 6:1]

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Published by: LifeWay Christian Resources