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Matthew 10

The Twelve Apostles

1 ^aAnd he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 ^bThe names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon ^cwho is called Peter, and ^dAndrew his brother; ^eJames the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and ^fMatthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ^{▼

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Some manuscripts Lebbaeus, or Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus} 4 Simon the Zealot ^{▼

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Greek kananaios, meaning zealot} and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

5 ⁱThese twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of ^jthe Samaritans, 6 ^kbut go rather to ^lthe lost sheep of ^mthe house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying ⁿ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 ^oHeal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers ^{▼

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Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13} cast out demons. ^qYou received without paying; give without pay. 9 ^rAcquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics ^{▼

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Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin} or sandals or a staff, for ^tthe laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house ^ugreet it. 13 And if the house is ^vworthy, let ^wyour peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let ^xyour peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words ^yshake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you ^zit will be more bearable on the day of judgment for ^aathe land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Persecution Will Come

16 ^ab“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be ^acwise as serpents and ^adinnocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for ^aethey will deliver you over to courts and flog you ^afin their synagogues, 18 ^agand you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake ^ahto bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 ^aiWhen ^ajthey deliver you over, ^akdo not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for ^alwhat you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 ^amFor it is not you who speak, but ^anthe Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 ^aoBrother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 ^apand you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. ^aqBut the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they ^arpersecute you in one town ^asflee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel ^atbefore the Son of Man comes.

24 ^au“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant ^{▼

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Greek bondservant; also verse 25} above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. ^awIf they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign ^{▼

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Greek lacks will they malign} those of his household.

Have No Fear

26 “So have no fear of them ^ayfor nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on ^azthe housetops. 28 And ^bado not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him ^bbwho can destroy both soul and body in hell. ^{▼

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Greek Gehenna} 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? ^{▼

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Greek assarion, Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/16 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)} And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But ^beeven the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; ^bfyou are of more value than many sparrows. 32 ^bgSo everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but ^bhwhoever denies me before men ^biI also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 ^bj“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. ^bkI have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 ^blFor I have come ^bmto set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 ^bnAnd a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 ^boWhoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And ^bpwhoever does not take his cross and ^bqfollow me is not worthy of me. 39 ^brWhoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

40 ^bs“Whoever receives you receives me, and ^btwhoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 ^buThe one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And ^bvwhoever gives one of ^bwthese little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”