Matthew 10
10
Jesus Sends Out His Apostles
1Jesus called his 12 followers together. He gave them power to drive out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. 2These are the names of the 12 apostles: Simon (also 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. Judas is the one who turned against Jesus.
5These 12 men he sent out with the following order: “Don’t go to the non-Jewish people. And don’t go into any town where the Samaritans live. 6But go to the people of Israel. They are like sheep that are lost. 7When you go, preach this: ‘The kingdom of heaven is coming soon.’ 8Heal the sick. Give dead people life again. Heal those who have harmful skin diseases. Force demons to leave people. I give you these powers freely. So help other people freely. 9Don’t carry any money with you—gold or silver or copper. 10Don’t carry a bag. Take for your trip only the clothes and sandals you are wearing. Don’t take a walking stick. A worker should be given the things he needs.
11“When you enter a city or town, find some worthy person there and stay in his home until you leave. 12When you enter that home, say, ‘Peace be with you.’ 13If the people there welcome you, let your peace stay there. But if they don’t welcome you, take back the peace you wished for them. 14And if a home or town refuses to welcome you or listen to you, then leave that place. Shake its dust off your feet.# A warning. It showed that they were finished talking to these people. 15I tell you the truth. On the Judgment Day it will be worse for that town than for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah.# Two cities that God destroyed because the people were so evil.
Jesus Warns His Apostles
16“Listen! I am sending you out, and you will be like sheep among wolves. So be as smart as snakes. But also be like doves and do nothing wrong. 17Be careful of people. They will arrest you and take you to court. They will whip you in their synagogues. 18Because of me you will be taken to stand before governors and kings. You will tell them and the non-Jewish people about me. 19When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say or how you should say it. At that time you will be given the things to say. 20It will not really be you speaking. The Spirit of your Father will be speaking through you.
21“Brothers will turn against their own brothers and give them over to be killed. Fathers will turn against their own children and give them to be killed. Children will fight against their own parents and have them killed. 22All people will hate you because you follow me. But the person who continues strong until the end will be saved. 23When you are treated badly in one city, go to another city. I tell you the truth. You will not finish going through all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24“A student is not better than his teacher. A servant is not better than his master. 25A student should be satisfied to become like his teacher. A servant should be satisfied to become like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul, then the other members of the family will be called worse names!
Fear God, Not People
26“So don’t be afraid of those people. Everything that is hidden will be shown. Everything that is secret will be made known. 27I tell you these things in the dark, but I want you to tell them in the light. I speak these things only to you, but you should tell them to everyone. 28Don’t be afraid of people. They can only kill the body. They cannot kill the soul. The only one you should fear is the One who can destroy the body and the soul in hell. 29When birds are sold, two small birds cost only a penny. But not even one of the little birds can die without your Father’s knowing it. 30God even knows how many hairs are on your head. 31So don’t be afraid. You are worth much more than many birds.
Tell People About Your Faith
32“If anyone stands before other people and says he believes in me, then I will say that he belongs to me. I will say this before my Father in heaven. 33But if anyone stands before people and says he does not believe in me, then I will say that he does not belong to me. I will say this before my Father in heaven.
34“Don’t think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35I have come to make this happen:
‘A son will be against his father,
a daughter will be against her mother,
a daughter-in-law will be against her mother-in-law.
36A person’s enemies will be members of his own family.’ Micah 7:6
37“Whoever loves his father or mother more than he loves me is not worthy to be my follower. Whoever loves his son or daughter more than he loves me is not worthy to be my follower. 38Whoever is not willing to die on a cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever tries to hold on to his life will give up true life. Whoever gives up his life for me will hold on to true life. 40Whoever accepts you also accepts me. And whoever accepts me also accepts the One who sent me. 41Whoever meets a prophet and accepts him will receive the reward of a prophet. And whoever accepts a good man because that man is good will receive the reward of a good man. 42Whoever helps one of these little ones because they are my followers will truly get his reward. He will get his reward even if he only gave my follower a cup of cold water.”
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Matthew 10: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Matthew 10
10
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples
1Jesus called for his 12 disciples to come to him. He gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every illness and sickness.
2Here are the names of the 12 apostles.
First there were Simon Peter and his brother Andrew.
Then came James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
3Next were Philip and Bartholomew,
and also Thomas and Matthew the tax collector.
Two more were James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus.
4The last were Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot. Judas was the one who was later going to hand Jesus over to his enemies.
5Jesus sent these 12 out with the following orders. “Do not go among the Gentiles,” he said. “Do not enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Instead, go to the people of Israel. They are like sheep that have become lost. 7As you go, preach this message, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8Heal those who are sick. Bring those who are dead back to life. Make those who have skin diseases ‘clean’ again. Drive out demons. You have received freely, so give freely.
9“Do not get any gold, silver or copper to take with you in your belts. 10Do not take a bag for the journey. Do not take extra clothes or sandals or walking sticks. A worker should be given what he needs. 11When you enter a town or village, look for someone who is willing to welcome you. Stay at their house until you leave. 12As you enter the home, greet those who live there. 13If that home welcomes you, give it your blessing of peace. If it does not, don’t bless it. 14Some people may not welcome you or listen to your words. If they don’t, leave that home or town, and shake the dust off your feet. 15What I’m about to tell you is true. On judgment day it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
16“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as harmless as doves. 17Watch out! You will be handed over to the local courts. You will be whipped in the synagogues. 18You will be brought to governors and kings because of me. You will be witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, don’t worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the right words to say. 20It will not be you speaking. The Spirit of your Father will be speaking through you.
21“Brothers will hand over brothers to be killed. Fathers will hand over their children. Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. 22You will be hated by everyone because of me. But anyone who remains strong in the faith will be saved. 23When people attack you in one place, escape to another. What I’m about to tell you is true. You will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24“The student is not better than the teacher. A slave is not better than his master. 25It is enough for students to be like their teachers. And it is enough for slaves to be like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, what can the others who live there expect?
26“So don’t be afraid of your enemies. Everything that is secret will be brought out into the open. Everything that is hidden will be uncovered. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight. What is whispered in your ear, shout from the rooftops. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But not one of them falls to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30He even counts every hair on your head! 31So don’t be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
32“What if someone says in front of others that they know me? I will also say in front of my Father who is in heaven that I know them. 33But what if someone says in front of others that they don’t know me? I will say in front of my Father who is in heaven that I don’t know them.
34“Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth. I didn’t come to bring peace. I came to bring a sword. 35I have come to turn
“ ‘sons against their fathers.
Daughters will refuse to obey their mothers.
Daughters-in-law will be against their mothers-in-law.
36A man’s enemies will be the members of his own family.’ (Micah 7:6)
37“Anyone 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. 38Whoever does not pick up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds their life will lose it. Whoever loses their life because of me will find it.
40“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41Suppose someone welcomes a prophet as a prophet. They will receive a prophet’s reward. And suppose someone welcomes a godly person as a godly person. They will receive a godly person’s reward. 42Suppose someone gives even a cup of cold water to a little one who follows me. What I’m about to tell you is true. That person will certainly be rewarded.”
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.