Matthew 10
10
Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles
(Mark 3.13-19; Luke 6.12-16)
1Jesus called together his twelve disciples. He gave them the power to force out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. 2The first of the twelve apostles was Simon, better known as Peter. His brother Andrew was an apostle, and so were James and John, the two sons of Zebedee. 3Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector,#10.3 tax collector: See the note at 5.46. James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus were also apostles. 4The others were Simon, known as the Eager One,#10.4 known as the Eager One: The Greek text has “Cananaean,” which probably comes from a Hebrew word meaning “zealous” (see Luke 6.15). “Zealot” was the name later given to the members of a Jewish group that resisted and fought against the Romans. and Judas Iscariot,#10.4 Iscariot: This may mean “a man from Kerioth” (a place in Judea). But more probably it means “a man who was a liar” or “a man who was a betrayer.” who later betrayed Jesus.
Instructions for the Twelve Apostles
(Mark 6.7-13; Luke 9.1-6)
5Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions:
Stay away from the Gentiles and don't go to any Samaritan town. 6Go only to the people of Israel, because they are like a flock of lost sheep. 7#Lk 10.4-12. As you go, announce that the kingdom of heaven will soon be here.#10.7 will soon be here: Or “is already here.” 8Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy,#10.8 leprosy: See the note at 8.2. and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid. 9Don't take along any gold, silver, or copper coins. 10#1 Co 9.14; 1 Ti 5.18. And don't carry#10.9,10 Don't take along … don't carry: Or “Don't accept … don't accept.” a traveling bag or an extra shirt or sandals or a walking stick.
Workers deserve their food. 11So when you go to a town or a village, find someone able and willing to have you as their guest and stay with them until you leave. 12When you go to a home, give it your blessing of peace. 13If the home is deserving, let your blessing remain with them. But if the home doesn't accept you, take back your blessing of peace. 14#Ac 13.51. If someone won't welcome you or listen to your message, leave their home or town. And shake the dust from your feet at them.#10.14 shake the dust from your feet at them: This was a way of showing rejection (see Acts 13.51). 15#Mt 11.24; Gn 19.24-28. I promise you the day of judgment will be easier for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah#10.15 Sodom and Gomorrah: During the time of Abraham the Lord destroyed these towns because the people there were so evil. than for that town.
Warning about Trouble
(Mark 13.9-13; Luke 21.12-17)
16 #
Lk 10.3. I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17#Mk 13.9-11; Lk 12.11,12; 21.12-15. Watch out for people who will take you to court and have you beaten in their synagogues. 18Because of me, you will be dragged before rulers and kings to tell them and the Gentiles about your faith. 19But when someone arrests you, don't worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the words to say. 20But you will not really be the one speaking. The Spirit from your Father will tell you what to say.
21 #
Mk 13.12; Lk 21.16. Brothers and sisters will betray one another and have each other put to death. Parents will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents and have them killed. 22#Mt 24.9; Mk 13.13; Lk 21.17; Mt 24.13; Mk 13.13. Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved. 23When people mistreat you in one town, hurry to another one. I promise you before you have gone to all the towns of Israel, the Son of Man will come.
24 #
Lk 6.40;
Jn 13.16; 15.20. Students are not better than their teacher, and slaves are not better than their master. 25#Mt 9.34; 12.24; Mk 3.22; Lk 11.15. It is enough for students to be like their teacher and for slaves to be like their master. If people call the head of the family Satan, what will they say about the rest of the family?
The One To Fear
(Luke 12.2-7)
26 #
Mk 4.22; Lk 8.17. Don't be afraid of anyone! Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. 27Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. 28#4 Macc 13.14; 4 Macc 9.7; 10.4. Don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. 29Aren't two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. 30Even the hairs on your head are counted. 31So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.
Telling Others about Christ
(Luke 12.8,9)
32If you tell others you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven you are my followers. 33#2 Ti 2.12. But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven you don't belong to me.
Not Peace, but Trouble
(Luke 12.51-53; 14.26,27)
34Don't think I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. 35#Mic 7.6. I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. 36Your worst enemies will be in your own family.
37 #
4 Macc 2.11-13. If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 38#Mt 16.24; Mk 8.34; Lk 9.23. And unless you are willing to take up your cross and follow me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 39#Mt 16.25; Mk 8.35; Lk 9.24; 17.33; Jn 12.25. If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.
Rewards
(Mark 9.41)
40 #
Lk 10.16; Jn 13.20;
Mk 9.37; Lk 9.48. Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me. 41Anyone who welcomes a prophet, just because that person is a prophet, will be given the same reward as a prophet. Anyone who welcomes a good person, just because that person is good, will be given the same reward as a good person. 42And anyone who gives one of my most humble followers a cup of cool water, just because that person is my follower, will be rewarded.
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Matthew 10: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
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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