Mat 10:5-42 | ESV | STEP | These twelve Jesus sent out , instructing them , Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans ,

5 ^aThese twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of ^bthe Samaritans, 6 ^cbut go rather to ^dthe lost sheep of ^ethe house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ^f‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 ^gHeal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, ^{▼▼Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13} cast out demons. ⁱYou received without paying; give without pay. 9 ^jAcquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics ^{▼▼Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin} or sandals or a staff, for ^lthe laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, ^mgreet it. 13 And if the house is ⁿworthy, let ^oyour peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let ^pyour peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, ^qshake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, ^rit will be more bearable on the day of judgment for ^sthe land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Persecution Will Come

16 ^t“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be ^uwise as serpents and ^vinnocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for ^wthey will deliver you over to courts and flog you ^xin their synagogues, 18 ^yand you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, ^zto bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 ^aaWhen ^abthey deliver you over, ^acdo not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for ^adwhat you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 ^aeFor it is not you who speak, but ^afthe Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 ^agBrother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 ^ahand you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. ^aiBut the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they ^ajpersecute you in one town, ^akflee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel ^albefore the Son of Man comes.

24 ^am“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. ^aoIf 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, ^aqfor 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 ^arthe housetops. 28 And ^asdo not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him ^atwho 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 ^aweven the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; ^axyou are of more value than many sparrows. 32 ^aySo everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but ^azwhoever denies me before men, ^baI also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 ^bb“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. ^bcI have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 ^bdFor I have come ^beto set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 ^bfAnd a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 ^bgWhoever 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 ^bhwhoever does not take his cross and ^bifollow me is not worthy of me. 39 ^bjWhoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

40 ^bk“Whoever receives you receives me, and ^blwhoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 ^bmThe 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 ^bnwhoever gives one of ^bothese 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.”