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.”
Jesus sends out the Twelve
1Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and illness.
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 betrayed him.
5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7As you go, proclaim this message: “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 8Heal those who are ill, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,10:8 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin. drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
9‘Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts – 10no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
16‘I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21‘Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24‘The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
26‘So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, 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 will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.10:29 Or will; or knowledge 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32‘Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
34‘Do not suppose that I have come 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,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law –
36a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”10:36 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 take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.’
