Matthew 10 – Sheep Among Wolves – The Gospels

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<p>Calling his twelve disciples to him, Jesus gave them authority over foul spirits, so that they could drive them out, as well as the power of curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: First Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebediah, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax—collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the zealot, and Judas Iscariot—the apostle who betrayed him.</p>
<p>5 These twelve Jesus sent out as his messengers, after giving them these instructions: “Do not go to the Gentiles, nor enter any Samaritan town, 6 But make your way rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 And on your way proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, make the lepers clean, drive out devils. You have received free of cost, give free of cost. 9 Do not provide yourselves with gold, or silver, or pence in your purses; 10 Not even with a bag for the journey, or a change of clothes, or sandals, or even a staff; for workers are worth their food.”</p>
<p>11 “Whatever town or village you visit, find out who is worthy in that place, and remain there till you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 Then, if the house is worthy, let your blessing rest upon it, but, if it is unworthy, let your blessing return upon yourselves. 14 If no one welcomes you, or listens to what you say, as you leave that house or that town, shake off its dust from your feet. 15 I tell you, the doom of the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will be more bearable in the day of judgment than the doom of that town.”</p>
<p>16 “Remember, I am sending you out as my messengers like <strong>sheep among wolves</strong>. So be as wise as serpents, and as blameless as doves. 17 Be on your guard against your fellow men, for they will betray you to courts of law, and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, that you may witness for me before them and the nations.”</p>
<p>19 “Whenever they betray you, do not be anxious as to how you shall speak or what you shall say, for what you shall say will be given you at the moment; 20 For it will not be you who speak, but the spirit of your Father that speaks within you. 21 Brother and sister will betray each other to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; 22 And you will be hated by everyone on account of my name. Yet the one that endures to the end shall be saved.”<sup><a href=1

23 “But, when they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for, I tell you, you will not have come to the end of the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 Scholars are not above their teachers, nor servants above their master. 25 It is enough for scholars to be treated like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!”

26 “Do not, therefore, be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed which will not be revealed, nor anything hidden which will not become known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say again in the light; and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; rather be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in the pit.”

29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a half—penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. 30 While as for you, the very hairs of your head are numbered. 31 Do not, therefore, be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Everyone, therefore, who shall acknowledge me before their friends and neighbors, I, too, will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; 33 But, if anyone disowns me before their community, I, too, will disown them before my Father who is in heaven.”

34 “Do not imagine that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring, not peace, but the sword. 35 For I have come to set a son against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter—in—law against her mother—in—law. 36 Your enemies will be the members of your own household. 37 Those who love father or mother more than me are not worthy of me; and those who love son or daughter more than me are not worthy of me. 38 And those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not worthy of me.

39 Those who have found their lives will lose it, while those who, for my sake, have lost their lives shall find it. 40 Those who welcome you are welcoming me; and those who welcome me are welcoming him who sent me as his messenger. 41 Those who welcome prophets, because they are prophets, shall receive a prophet’s reward; and those who welcome good neighbors, because they are good neighbors, shall receive a good neighbor’s reward. 42 And, all those who give but a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because they are my disciples, I tell you that they shall assuredly not lose their reward.”

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To read Chapter 11 of the Gospel of Matthew, please go to: The Coming One.

  1. Read New Testament commentary on this Gospel of Matthew passage at Hallowed Be Thy Name, Chapter 2 of The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life. []


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