Matthew 10
Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus Appoints the Twelve
10 (A)And summoning His twelve disciples, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to (B)heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
2 (C)Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, (D)Simon, who is called Peter, and (E)Andrew his brother; and (F)James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 (G)Philip and [a]Bartholomew; (H)Thomas and (I)Matthew the tax collector; (J)James the son of Alphaeus, and (K)Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the [b]Zealot, and (L)Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
The Twelve Disciples Sent Out
5 (M)These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not [c]go [d]in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the (N)Samaritans; 6 but rather go to (O)the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, [e]preach, saying, ‘(P)The kingdom of heaven [f]is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9 (Q)Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10 or a [g]bag for your journey, or even two [h]tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for (R)the worker is worthy of his [i]support. 11 And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay there until you leave. 12 Now as you enter the [j]house, (S)give it your [k]greeting. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you leave that house or that city, (T)shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I say to you, (U)it will be more tolerable for the land of (V)Sodom and Gomorrah in (W)the day of judgment than for that city.
The Promise of Persecution
16 “(X)Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so [l]be (Y)shrewd as serpents and (Z)innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you over to the (AA)courts and flog you (AB)in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 (AC)But when they deliver you over, (AD)do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say. 20 For (AE)it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 “(AF)And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and (AG)children will rise up against parents and [m]cause them to be put to death. 22 (AH)And you will be hated by all because of My name, but (AI)it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
23 “But whenever they (AJ)persecute you in this city, flee to [n]the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel (AK)until the Son of Man comes.
The Meaning of Discipleship
24 “(AL)A [o]disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. (AM)If they have called the head of the house [p](AN)Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
26 “Therefore do not (AO)fear them, (AP)for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 (AQ)What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim (AR)upon the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather (AS)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in [q](AT)hell. 29 (AU)Are not two sparrows sold for an [r]assarion? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But (AV)the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not fear; (AW)you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore (AX)everyone who [s]confesses Me before men, I will also confess [t]him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But (AY)whoever [u]denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “(AZ)Do not think that I came to [v]bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to (BA)set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and (BB)a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37 “(BC)He 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 And (BD)he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 (BE)He who has found his [w]life will lose it, and he who has lost his [x]life for My sake will find it.
The Reward of Service
40 “(BF)He who receives you receives Me, and (BG)he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 (BH)He 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 And (BI)whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these [y]little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 10:3 Son of Talmai (Aram)
- Matthew 10:4 Or Cananaean
- Matthew 10:5 Or go off
- Matthew 10:5 Or on the road of
- Matthew 10:7 Or proclaim
- Matthew 10:7 Lit has come near
- Matthew 10:10 Or knapsack, beggar’s bag
- Matthew 10:10 Gr khiton, the garment worn next to the skin
- Matthew 10:10 Lit nourishment
- Matthew 10:12 Or household
- Matthew 10:12 The familiar Heb blessing, “Peace be to this house!”
- Matthew 10:16 Or show yourselves to be
- Matthew 10:21 Lit put them to death
- Matthew 10:23 Lit the other
- Matthew 10:24 Or student
- Matthew 10:25 Ruler of demons; or Beezebul
- Matthew 10:28 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 10:29 A Roman copper coin, approx. 1/16 of a laborer’s daily wage
- Matthew 10:32 Lit will confess in Me
- Matthew 10:32 Lit in him
- Matthew 10:33 Lit will deny
- Matthew 10:34 Lit cast
- Matthew 10:39 Or soul
- Matthew 10:39 Or soul
- Matthew 10:42 Possibly someone of low social standing
Matthew 10
Common English Bible
Mission of the Twelve
10 He called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to throw them out and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles: 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; 4 Simon the Cananaean;[a] and Judas, who betrayed Jesus.
Commissioning of the Twelve
5 Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Don’t go among the Gentiles or into a Samaritan city. 6 Go instead to the lost sheep, the people of Israel. 7 As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment. 9 Workers deserve to be fed, so don’t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips. 10 Don’t take a backpack for the road or two shirts or sandals or a walking stick. 11 Whatever city or village you go into, find somebody in it who is worthy and stay there until you go on your way. 12 When you go into a house, say, ‘Peace!’ 13 If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if the house isn’t worthy, take back your blessing. 14 If anyone refuses to welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city. 15 I assure you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than it will be for that city.
Response to harassment
16 “Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves. 17 Watch out for people—because they will hand you over to councils and they will beat you in their synagogues. 18 They will haul you in front of governors and even kings because of me so that you may give your testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 Whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about how to speak or what you will say, because what you can say will be given to you at that moment. 20 You aren’t doing the talking, but the Spirit of my Father is doing the talking through you. 21 Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to be executed. A father will turn his child in. Children will defy their parents and have them executed. 22 Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved. 23 Whenever they harass you in one city, escape to the next, because I assure that you will not go through all the cities of Israel before the Human One[b] comes.
24 “Disciples aren’t greater than their teacher, and slaves aren’t greater than their master. 25 It’s enough for disciples to be like their teacher and slaves like their master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, it’s certain that they will call the members of his household by even worse names.
Whom to fear
26 “Therefore, don’t be afraid of those people because nothing is hidden that won’t be revealed, and nothing secret that won’t be brought out into the open. 27 What I say to you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, announce from the rooftops. 28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell. 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a small coin? But not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father knowing about it already. 30 Even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 Don’t be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
Confessing Christ to people
32 “Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me before people, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Trouble in the family
34 “Don’t think that I’ve come to bring peace to the earth. I haven’t come to bring peace but a sword. 35 I’ve come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 People’s enemies are members of their own households.[c]
37 “Those who love father or mother more than me aren’t worthy of me. Those who love son or daughter more than me aren’t worthy of me. 38 Those who don’t pick up their crosses and follow me aren’t worthy of me. 39 Those who find their lives will lose them, and those who lose their lives because of me will find them.
Rewards
40 “Those who receive you are also receiving me, and those who receive me are receiving the one who sent me. 41 Those who receive a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Those who receive a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 I assure you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold water to these little ones because they are my disciples will certainly be rewarded.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 10:4 Or zealot
- Matthew 10:23 Or Son of Man
- Matthew 10:36 Mic 7:6
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