Matthew 10

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: the first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Philip; and Bartholomew; Thomas; and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus;

Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go on any road of the Gentiles, and do not enter into any city of the Samaritans,

but go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near.’

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

Do not acquire gold, nor silver, nor bronze in your belts,

nor a traveler’s bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staff, for the laborer is worthy of his food.

And into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave that city.

And as you enter the house, greet it.

And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

And whoever will not receive you or listen to your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off of your feet.

Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that city.

“Look! I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

But beware of people, for they will hand you over to councils, and flog you in their synagogues,

and you will even be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

“But when they hand you over, do not be anxious how or what you are to say because it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say,

for it is not you who speak, but the spirit of your Father that speaks in you.

And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

And you will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who endures to the end—that one will be saved.

But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for truly I say to you, you will surely not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.

It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light, and what you hear in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.

And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Aren’t two little sparrows sold for an assarion? And not one of them will fall on the ground apart from your Father.

But even all the hairs of your head have been counted.

So do not be afraid, you are of more value than many little sparrows.

Therefore, everyone who will confess me before people, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.

But whoever denies me before people, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

“Do not assume that I came to send peace on the earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword.

For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,

Whoever is attached to his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever is attached to his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will not ever lose his reward.”