1 J esus called His twelve followers to Him. He gave them power to put out demons and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease.

And when 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 T hese are the names of the twelve followers. There were Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John who were the sons of Zebedee.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 T here were Philip and Bartholomew and Thomas. There was Matthew, the man who gathered taxes. There were James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeaus, and

Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 S imon the Canaanite. There was Judas Iscariot who handed Jesus over to be killed.

Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. Sending Out the Twelve

5 J esus sent out these twelve followers. He told them to go, saying, “Stay away from people who are not Jews. And do not go to any town in the country of Samaria.

These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.

6 B ut go to the Jewish people who are lost.

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 A s you go, preach. Say, ‘The holy nation of heaven is near.’

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

8 H eal the sick and those with bad skin diseases. Raise the dead. Put out demons. You have received much, now give much.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

9 D o not take gold or silver or brass money with you.

Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts,

10 D o not take a bag of things for the trip. Do not take two coats or shoes or a walking stick. A workman should receive his food and what he needs.

nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

11 “ When you come to a city or town, find a home that is respected and stay there until you leave.

“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.

12 A s you go into a house, tell them you hope good comes to them.

And when you go into a household, greet it.

13 A nd if the house is respected, give them your good wishes. If it is not respected, let your good wishes come back to you.

If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 W hoever does not receive you or does not listen to what you say, as you leave that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

15 F or sure, I tell you, it will be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day men stand before God and are told they are guilty, than for that city.

Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! Persecutions Are Coming

16 “ I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all around you. Be wise like snakes and gentle like doves.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

17 B ut look out for men. They will take you up to their courts and they will hurt you in their places of worship.

But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.

18 T hey will take you in front of the leaders of the people and of the kings because of Me. You will tell them and the people who do not know God about Me.

You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

19 W hen you are put into their hands, do not worry what you will say or how you will say it. The words will be given you when the time comes.

But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;

20 I t will not be you who will speak the words. The Spirit of your Father will speak through you.

for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

21 “ A brother will hand over a brother to be put to death. A father will hand over his child to be put to death. Children will hand over their parents to be put to death.

“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 Y ou will be hated by all people because of Me. But he who stays true to the end will be saved.

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

23 W hen they make it hard for you in one town, go to another. For sure, I tell you, before you have gone through the Jewish cities, the Son of Man will come.

When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “ A follower is not greater than his teacher. A servant who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25 A follower should be happy to be as his teacher, and a servant who is owned by someone should be happy to be as his owner. If they have called the head of the house Satan, how much more will they speak against those of the house.

It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

26 T hen do not be afraid of them. For nothing is covered up that will not be brought out into the light. There is nothing hid that will not be made known.

Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Jesus Teaches the Fear of God

27 Y ou tell in the light what I tell you in the dark. You must speak with a loud voice from the roofs of houses what you have heard.

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.

28 D o not be afraid of them who kill the body. They are not able to kill the soul. But fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 A re not two small birds sold for a very small piece of money? And yet not one of the birds falls to the earth without your Father knowing it.

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

30 G od knows how many hairs you have on your head.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 S o do not be afraid. You are more important than many small birds.

Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Confess Christ Before Men

32 “ Whoever makes Me known in front of men, I will make him known to My Father in heaven.

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

33 B ut whoever does not make Me known in front of men and acts as if he does not know Me, I will not make him known to My Father in heaven.

But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Christ Brings Division

34 “ Do not think I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

35 I came to turn a man against his father. I came to turn a daughter against her mother. I came to turn a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;

36 A man will be hated by his own family. Giving Up Things of This Earth

and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

37 “ He who loves his father and mother more than Me is not good enough for Me. He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not good enough for Me.

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 H e who does not take his cross and follow Me is not good enough for Me.

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

39 H e who wants to keep his life will have it taken away from him. He who loses his life because of Me will have it given back to him.

He 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 “ Whoever receives you, receives Me. Whoever receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me.

“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

41 W hoever receives a preacher who speaks for God because he is a preacher, will get the reward of a preacher who speaks for God. Whoever receives a man right with God, because he is a man right with God, will get the reward of a man right with God.

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 F or sure, I tell you, anyone who gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he follows Me, will not lose his reward.”

And 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.”