Matthew 10:16-39

New King James Version

Persecutions Are Coming^(A)

¹⁶^(B)“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. ^(C)Therefore be wise as serpents and ^(D)harmless^[a] as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men, for ^(E)they will deliver you up to councils and ^(F)scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸^(G)You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹^(H)But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For ^(I)it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ²⁰^(J)for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

²¹^(K)“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²²And ^(L)you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. ^(M)But he who endures to the end will be saved. ²³^(N)When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have ^(O)gone through the cities of Israel ^(P)before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴^(Q)“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If ^(R)they have called the master of the house ^[b]Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! ²⁶Therefore do not fear them. ^(S)For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

Jesus Teaches the Fear of God^(T)

²⁷“Whatever I tell you in the dark, ^(U)speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸^(V)And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather ^(W)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in ^[c]hell. ²⁹Are not two ^(X)sparrows sold for a ^[d]copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰^(Y)But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confess Christ Before Men^(Z)

³²^(AA)“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, ^(AB)him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³^(AC)But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Christ Brings Division^(AD)

³⁴^(AE)“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to ^(AF)‘set^[e] a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶and ^(AG)‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ ³⁷^(AH)He 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. ³⁸^(AI)And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹^(AJ)He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.