Mat 10:16-42 | ESV | STEP | Behold , I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves , so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves .

16 ^a“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be ^bwise as serpents and ^cinnocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for ^dthey will deliver you over to courts and flog you ^ein their synagogues, 18 ^fand you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, ^gto bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 ^hWhen ⁱthey deliver you over, ^jdo not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for ^kwhat you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 ^lFor it is not you who speak, but ^mthe Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 ⁿBrother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 ^oand you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. ^pBut the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they ^qpersecute you in one town, ^rflee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel ^sbefore the Son of Man comes.

24 ^t“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant ^{▼▼Greek bondservant; also verse 25} above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. ^vIf they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign ^{▼▼Greek lacks will they malign} those of his household.

Have No Fear

26 “So have no fear of them, ^xfor nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on ^ythe housetops. 28 And ^zdo not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him ^aawho can destroy both soul and body in hell. ^{▼▼Greek Gehenna} 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? ^{▼▼Greek assarion, Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/16 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)} And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But ^adeven the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; ^aeyou are of more value than many sparrows. 32 ^afSo everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but ^agwhoever denies me before men, ^ahI also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 ^ai“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. ^ajI have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 ^akFor I have come ^alto set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 ^amAnd a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 ^anWhoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And ^aowhoever does not take his cross and ^apfollow me is not worthy of me. 39 ^aqWhoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

40 ^ar“Whoever receives you receives me, and ^aswhoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 ^atThe one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And ^auwhoever gives one of ^avthese little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”