⁵ Jesus sent out these 12 after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road leading to other nations, and don’t enter any Samaritan^(A) town. ⁶ Instead, go to the lost sheep^(B) of the house of Israel.^{(C) 7} As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’^{(D) 8} Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons.^(E) You have received free of charge; give free of charge. ⁹ Don’t take along gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.^{(F) 10} Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a walking stick, for the worker^(G) is worthy of his food.

¹¹ “When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹² Greet a household when you enter it,^{(H) 13} and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it. But if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.^{(I) 14} If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet^(J) when you leave that house or town. ¹⁵ I assure you: It will be more tolerable on the day of judgment^(K) for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.^(L)

Persecutions Predicted

¹⁶ “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.^{(M) 17} Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins^[a] and flog you in their synagogues,^(N) beware of them. ¹⁸ You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations.^{(O) 19} But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should speak.^(P) For you will be given what to say at that hour, ²⁰ because you are not speaking, but the Spirit^(Q) of your Father is speaking through you.^(R)

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death.^{(S) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of My name.^(T) But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.^{[b](U) 23} When they persecute you in one town, escape to another.^(V) For I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ²⁴ A disciple^[c] is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.^{(W) 25} It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!^(X)

Fear God

²⁶ “Therefore,^(Y) don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known.^{(Z) 27} What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper,^[d] proclaim on the housetops.^{(AA) 28} Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul;^(AB) rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.^{(AC) 29} Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?^[e] Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s^(AD) consent.^{[f] 30} But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.^{(AE) 31} So don’t be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(AF)

Acknowledging Christ

³² “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.^{(AG) 33} But whoever denies Me before men,^(AH) I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. ³⁴ Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.^{(AI) 35} For I came to turn

³⁷ The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me;^(AK) the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow^[h] Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ Anyone finding^[i] his life will lose it,^(AL) and anyone losing^[j] his life because of Me will find it.^(AM)

A Cup of Cold Water

⁴⁰ “The one who welcomes you welcomes Me,^(AN) and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me.^{(AO) 41} Anyone who^[k] welcomes a prophet^(AP) because he is a prophet^[l] will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who^[m] welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous^[n] will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives^(AQ) just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple^[o](AR)—I assure you: He will never lose his reward!”

Commissioning the Twelve

9 Summoning the Twelve,^(A) He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and power to heal^[a] diseases.^{(B) 2} Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.^(C)

³ “Take nothing for the road,”^(D) He told them, “no walking stick,^(E) no traveling bag, no bread, no money; and don’t take an extra shirt. ⁴ Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. ⁵ If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”^{(F) 6} So they went out and traveled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.