Matthew 10

Instructions for the Mission Matthew 10:5–15

⁵Verse 5. Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans. ⁶Verse 6. Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷Verse 7. As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ ⁸Verse 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give. ⁹Verse 9. Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts. ¹⁰Verse 10. Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.

¹¹Verse 11. Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on. ¹²Verse 12. As you enter into the household, greet it. ¹³Verse 13. If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴Verse 14. Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. ¹⁵Verse 15. Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

Warnings about Persecution Matthew 10:16–23

¹⁶Verse 16. “Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. ¹⁷Verse 17. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. ¹⁸Verse 18. Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. ¹⁹Verse 19. But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. ²⁰Verse 20. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

²¹Verse 21. “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²²Verse 22. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. ²³Verse 23. But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.

Discipleship and Fear Matthew 10:24–31

²⁴Verse 24. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. ²⁵Verse 25. It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! ²⁶Verse 26. Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known. ²⁷Verse 27. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. ²⁸Verse 28. Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

²⁹Verse 29. “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will, ³⁰Verse 30. but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹Verse 31. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

Confession and Loyalty Matthew 10:32–39

³²Verse 32. Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. ³³Verse 33. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven. ³⁴Verse 34. “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. ³⁵Verse 35. For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶Verse 36. A man’s foes will be those of his own household. ³⁷Verse 37. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.

³⁸Verse 38. He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. ³⁹Verse 39. He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards for Reception Matthew 10:40–42

⁴⁰Verse 40. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. ⁴¹Verse 41. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴²Verse 42. Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”