Matthew 10

1Jesus called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them power to drive out evil spirits and to heal every kind of sickness and disease.

2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee and his brother John;

3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who later handed Jesus over to His enemies.

5Jesus sent out these twelve with these instructions: Do not go among the other nations or enter any town of the Samaritans.

6Go instead to the lost sheep of Israel.

7As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.

8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with skin diseases, and drive out demons. You received freely, so give freely.

9Do not take any gold, silver, or copper in your belts.

10Take no bag for the trip, no extra shirt, no sandals, and no walking stick, because a worker deserves to be fed.

11When you enter a town or village, find someone there who is worthy, and stay at their house until you leave.

12When you go into the house, give it your greeting of peace.

13If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it. If it is not worthy, let your peace come back to you.

14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.

15I tell you the truth, on the day of judgment it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

16Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves.

17Be on your guard against people. They will hand you over to the courts and beat you in their synagogues.

18Because of me, you will be brought before governors and kings to tell them and the other nations the truth.

19But when the people arrest you, do not worry about how to speak or what to say. At that time you will be given what to say,

20Because it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21Brother will hand over brother to be killed, and a father will hand over his child. Children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.

22Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands strong to the end will be saved.

23When they treat you badly in one town, run to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24A student is not greater than their teacher, and a servant is not greater than their master.

25It is enough for the student to be like their teacher, and the servant like their master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more will they insult the members of their household!

26So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing hidden that will not be brought out into the open, and nothing secret that will not be made known.

27What I tell you in the dark, say in the daylight. What is whispered in your ear, shout from the housetops.

28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father.

30And even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

31So do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

32Whoever acknowledges me in front of others, I will also acknowledge that person in front of my Father in heaven.

33But whoever denies me in front of others, I will also deny that person in front of my Father in heaven.

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

35For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36A person's enemies will be the members of that person's own household.

37Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38And anyone who does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

39Whoever tries to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

40Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me.

41Whoever welcomes a prophet because that person is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. And whoever welcomes a good person because that person is good will receive a good person's reward.

42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because that little one is my follower, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.