Matthew 10
The Twelve Apostles
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 aThe names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, bwho is called Peter, and cAndrew his brother; cJames the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and aMatthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
5 aThese twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of bthe Samaritans, 6 abut go rather to bthe lost sheep of cthe house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, a‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 aHeal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. bYou received without paying; give without pay. 9 aAcquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for athe 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, agreet it. 13 And if the house is aworthy, let byour peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let byour peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, ashake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, ait will be more bearable on the day of judgment for bthe land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
Persecution Will Come
16 a“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be bwise as serpents and cinnocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for athey will deliver you over to courts and flog you bin their synagogues, 18 aand you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, bto bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 aWhen bthey deliver you over, cdo not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for dwhat you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 aFor it is not you who speak, but bthe Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 aBrother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 aand you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. bBut the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they apersecute you in one town, bflee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel cbefore the Son of Man comes.
24 a“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. aIf they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
Have No Fear
26 “So have no fear of them, afor 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 athe housetops. 28 And ado not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him bwho can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But aeven the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; ayou are of more value than many sparrows. 32 aSo everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but awhoever denies me before men, bI also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Not Peace, but a Sword
34 a“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. bI have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 aFor I have come bto set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 aAnd a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 aWhoever 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 awhoever does not take his cross and bfollow me is not worthy of me. 39 aWhoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Rewards
40 a“Whoever receives you receives me, and bwhoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 aThe 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 awhoever gives one of bthese 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.”
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.