Matthew 10:1-42

Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them power to throw out evil spirits, and to heal all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee, John his brother, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the revolutionary, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. Jesus sent out these Twelve, telling them, “Don't go to the foreigners, or to any Samaritan city. You are to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Wherever you go, tell the people, ‘The kingdom of heaven has arrived.’ Heal those who are sick. Resurrect the dead. Cure the lepers. Drive out demons. You received freely, so give freely! Don't carry any gold, silver, or copper coins in your pockets, or a bag for your journey, or two cloaks, or sandals, or a walking stick, for a worker deserves to be supported. Wherever you go, whatever town or village, ask for someone who lives according to good principles, and remain there until you leave. When you enter the house, give it your blessing. If the home deserves it, let your peace rest on it, but if it doesn't deserve it, let your peace return to you. If someone doesn't welcome you, and refuses to listen to what you have to say, then leave that house or that town, shaking its dust off your feet as you go. I tell you the truth, it will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah at the Day of Judgment than for that town! Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Watch out for those who will hand you over to be tried by town councils and will whip you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, to witness to them and to the foreigners. But when they put you on trial, don't worry about how you should speak or what you should say, because you'll be told what to say at the right time. For it isn't you who will speak but the Spirit of the Father will speak through you. Brother will betray brother and have him killed, and a father will do the same to his child. Children will rebel against their parents, and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because you follow me, but those who endure until the end will be saved. When you're persecuted in one town, run away to the next. I'm telling the truth: you won't finish going to the towns of Israel before the Son of man comes. Disciples are not more important than their teacher; servants are not more important than their master. Disciples should be satisfied to become like their teacher, and servants like their master. If the head of the house has been called the head demon Beelzebub, then the members of his household will be demonized even more! So don't be frightened of them, for there's nothing covered that won't be exposed, and nothing hidden that won't be made known. What I tell you here in the dark, declare when it's light, and what you hear whispered in your ear, shout from the rooftops. Don't be afraid of those who can kill you physically, but can't kill you spiritually. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy you physically and spiritually in Gehenna. Aren't two sparrows sold for just one penny? But not a single one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing about it. Even the hairs on your head have all been counted. So don't worry—you're worth more than many sparrows! Anyone who publicly declares their commitment to me, I will also declare my commitment to them before my Father in heaven. But anyone who publicly denies me, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. Don't think I've come to bring peace on earth. I haven't come to bring peace, but a sword. I've come ‘to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be those of your own family!’ If you love your father or mother more than me you don't deserve to be mine, and if you love your son or daughter more than me you don't deserve to be mine. If you don't pick up your cross and follow me you don't deserve to be mine. If you try to save your life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life because of me you will save it. Those who welcome you welcome me, and those who welcome me welcome the one that sent me. Those who welcome a prophet because that's what they are, will receive the same reward as a prophet. Those who welcome someone who does right will receive the same reward as someone who does right. I tell you the truth, those who give a drink of cool water to the least important of my disciples will definitely not miss out on their reward.”