‘Isa called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James son of Zebedee; John, his brother; 3Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus; and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5‘Isa sent these twelve out, and charged them, saying, “Do not go among the foreigners, and do not enter into any city of the Samaritans. 6Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give. 9Do not take any gold, nor silver, nor bronze in your money belts. 10Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the labourer is worthy of his food. 11Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on. 12As you enter into the household, give it your salam. 13If the household is worthy, let your salam remain on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your salam return to you. 14Whoever does not receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15Most assuredly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. 18Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. 19But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. 20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
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. 22You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. 23But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most assuredly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until Ibn Adam has come.
24“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. 25It 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! 26Therefore do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28Do not 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 Jahannam.
29“Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion[1]? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will, 30but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Therefore do not be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. 32Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
34“Do not think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. 35For I came to turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”[2] 37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38He who does not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. 39He who finds his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. 40He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward: and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most assuredly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.“
[1] 10:29 An assarion is a small coin worth one tenth of a drachma or a sixteenth of a denarius (approximately the wages of one half hour of agricultural labour).
[2] 10:35-36 Alluding to the Taurat, Micah 7:6.