Matthew 10
1 He told [us] twelve disciples to come to him. Then he gave us the power/authority to expel evil spirits [that controlled people]. He also enabled [us] to heal all people who had diseases or who were sick.
And he called to him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they might cast them out, and care every disease and every infirmity.
2 [Here is a list of us] twelve [disciples whom he called] apostles ([which means ‘messengers’]): Simon, [to whom he gave the new name] Peter; Andrew, Peter’s [younger] brother; James, the son of Zebedee; John, the [younger] brother of James;
Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: the first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; me, Matthew, the tax collector; James, the [son] of Alpheus; Thaddeus;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphæus, and Lebbæus, who was surnamed Thaddæus;
4 Simon, a member of the party [that wanted to overthrow the Roman government; ] and Judas Iscariot (OR, Judas, the man from Kerioth [Town]), who [later] enabled [the Jewish leaders] to seize Jesus.
Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also delivered him up.
5 When Jesus was [about to] send [us] twelve [apostles to tell his message to people in various places], he gave [us] these instructions: “Do not go where the non-Jews live [MTY] or into the towns [where the] Samaritans live, [because they hate you].
These twelve Jesus sent forth after he had charged them, saying: Go not into the road that leads to the Gentiles, and enter not a city of the Samaritans.
6 Instead, go to the people of Israel [SYN] who have [gone away from God like] sheep that have gotten lost [MET].
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 When you go [to them], proclaim to them that God [EUP/MTY] will soon begin to rule over people.
And as you go, preach, saying: The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal sick people, cause dead people to become alive, heal people who have leprosy, and cause demons to leave people [who are controlled by them] {[whom demons control]}. Do not charge money [for helping people, because God] did not charge you anything [for helping you].
Cure the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
9 Do not take any money with you [MTY], nor a knapsack. Do not take an extra shirt, nor sandals [in addition to what you are wearing], nor a walking stick. Every worker deserves to get pay [from the people for whom he works], [so you deserve to receive food and a place to stay from the people to whom you go].
Provide for yourselves neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, to put into your purses,
nor bag for your journey, nor two coats, nor sandals, nor staffs: for the laborer is worthy of his support.
11 In whatever town or village you enter, find out which person is worthy [that you should stay in his home]. And as you go into that house, [ask God to] bless the people [who live there] [MTY]. Stay in that home until you leave [that town or village].
Whatever city or village you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there make your home till you go away.
When you go into a house, salute it:
13 If the people who live in [MTY] that house are worthy [of being blessed] {[God blessing them]}, [God] will bless them. If the people who live in that house are not worthy [of being blessed] {[of God blessing them]}, [God] will bless you [instead of blessing them].
and if the house be worthy, your peace shall come upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace shall return to you.
14 If the people [who live in any house or town] do not welcome you [to their home or town], nor listen to your message, leave that house or town. And as you leave, shake off the dust from your feet. [By doing that, you will warn them that God will punish them for rejecting your message].
And whoever will not receive you, nor hear your words, when you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet.
15 Note this carefully: [At the time when God] judges [all people, he] will punish [the people who lived in] Sodom and Gomorrah [MTY], [the ancient cities which God destroyed because their people were extremely wicked]. But in any town where the people [MTY] refuse to hear your message, God will punish them even more severely.”
Verily I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16 “Take note: After I send you out, [you will be as defenseless] as sheep [MET] in the midst of [people who are as dangerous as] wolves. So you should wisely [stay away from such people, like you stay away from poisonous] snakes [SIM]. You should be as harmless as doves are [SIM].
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be, therefore, wise as serpents, and guileless as doves.
17 Also, be on guard against [our religious leaders]. They will arrest you and take you to the members of the religious councils [to put you on trial and punish you because you are my disciples]. You will be whipped {The local leaders will whip you} [in] their meeting places.
But beware of men: for they will deliver you to the councils, and scourge you in their synagogues;
18 [And] because [you teach] about me, you will be taken {[the religious leaders] will take you} to governors and kings [in order that they may put you on trial and punish you]. As a result, you will testify to those rulers and to [other] non-Jews [about what I have done].
and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 When [the religious leaders] arrest you, do not be worried about what you will say [to them], because at that very time [the] Holy Spirit will tell you the words that you should say.
But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what you shall speak; for that which you shall speak shall be given you in that hour:
20 It is not that you [will decide what to] say. Instead, you will say what the Spirit of your [heavenly] Father tells [you to say].
for it is not you that speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you.
21 [You will be taken] {[People who do not believe in me will] take you} to the authorities to be killed [because you believe in me. For example], people will betray their brothers, and fathers will betray their children. Children will rebel against their parents and cause [them] to be killed.
Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father the child; and children will rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 Many people will hate you [because you believe in me]. Nevertheless, [many people] will keep on believing in me until they die. They are the people whom [God] will take to live with him.
And you will be hated by all men on my account: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.
23 When people in one town cause you to suffer, escape to another town [and tell the people there about me]. Note this: [I], the one who came down from heaven, will certainly return [to earth] before you have finished going from one town to another town throughout Israel [and telling people about me].
But when they persecute you in this city, flee into another: for verily I say to you, You will not have made the circuit of the cities of Israel before the Son of man shall come.
24 A disciple should not [expect to be] greater than his teacher, and servants [are not] superior to their master.
The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the servant above his master.
25 You do not [expect that] people will [treat] a disciple better than [they treat] his teacher, or that [they will treat] a servant [better than they treat] his master. [Similarly, because I am your teacher and master, you can expect that people will mistreat you, because they have mistreated me]. The most you can expect is that people [will treat you like they treat me. I am like] the ruler of a household [MET]. But people [have insulted me by] calling [me] Beelzebub, [the ruler of the demons]. So they [will] certainly [insult you more, you who are only like] members of my household [MET]!”
It is enough for the disciple, that he be as his teacher; and for the servant, that he be as his master. If they call the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household?
26 “Do not be afraid of [people who insult you and do evil things to you. God wants] everything that is unknown now to be revealed {[God wants you to] reveal everything [that is unknown now]}. [He does] not [want his truth] to remain hidden [MET] and kept secret [DOU].
Fear them not, therefore; for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor hidden that shall not be made known.
27 [So, instead of being afraid], what I say to you [secretly as people do] at night [MTY], tell [publicly as people do] during the daytime [MTY]. What I [say to you privately as people do when they] whisper to you [MTY], proclaim publicly [MTY, DOU].
What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light: and what you hear in the ear, preach on the house-tops.
28 Do not be afraid of people who [are able to] kill your body [SYN] but are not able to destroy your soul. Instead, fear [God because] he is able to destroy both a [person’s] body and a [person’s] soul in hell. (Geenna g1067)
And fear not them that 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 hell. (Geenna g1067)
29 [Think about the] sparrows. [They have so little value] that [you] can buy cares two of them for [only] one small coin [RHQ]. But when [any] sparrow falls to the ground [and dies] [LIT], [God], your [heavenly] Father, knows it, [because he cares about everything].
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and yet not one of them shall fall upon the ground with out your Father.
30 [He cares about you, too]. He even knows how many hairs you have on your head!
But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 [God] values you much more than he values sparrows [LIT]. So, do not be afraid [of people who threaten to kill you]
Fear not, therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.
32 If people, [without being afraid, are willing to] tell others [that they are my disciples], I will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven [that they are my disciples].
Whoever, therefore, will confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
33 But if they are afraid to say in front of others that they are my [disciples], I will tell my Father, who is in heaven, [that] they are not [my disciples].”
But whoever will deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to earth to cause [people] to live together harmoniously. The result of my coming is that [some of those who follow me] [MTY] will be killed.
Think not that I have come to send peace on the earth. I have not come to send peace, but a sword.
35 Because I came [to earth, people who do not believe in me] will oppose [those who do believe in me. For example], some sons will oppose their fathers, some daughters will oppose their mothers, and some daughters-in-law will oppose their mothers-in-law.
For I have come to set a man at variance with his father, and the daughter with her mother, and the daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law:
36 [This shows that sometimes] a person’s enemies will be members of his own household.
and a man’s enemies shall be those of his own household.
37 People who love their fathers or mothers more than [they love] me are not worthy to [have a relationship with me]. And people who love their sons or daughters more than [they love] me are not worthy [to belong to] me.
He that loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me:
38 [People who are ready to execute a prisoner force him to] carry a cross [to the place where they will nail him to it] [MET]. Those who are not [willing to allow other people to hurt and disgrace them like that because of being my disciples] are not worthy to belong to me.
and whoever does not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.
39 People who [deny that they believe in me in order to escape being killed] will not live [with God eternally] [MET], but people who [confess that they believe in] me and, [as a result are] killed, will live [with God eternally] [MET].”
He that finds his life shall lose it; and he that loses his life for my sake, shall find it.
40 “[God considers that] everyone who welcomes you, welcomes me [SIM], and [he considers that] everyone who welcomes me welcomes [him], the one who sent me [SIM].
He that receives you, receives me: and he that receives me, receives him that sent me.
41 Those who welcome [someone because] [MTY] [they know] that person is a prophet they will receive the [same] reward that prophets [receive from God. Likewise], those who welcome a person [because] [MTY] [they know] that person is righteous will receive the reward righteous people [receive from God].
He that receives a prophet because he is a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward: and he that receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 [Note this: ] people [see that you are thirsty] [MTY] [and] give you a drink of cold water because they know that [MTY] you are one of my disciples. [God] will certainly reward people who do that. [They might consider that what they did] is insignificant, [but God will consider it very significant]” [LIT].
And whoever will give one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink, because he is a disciple, verily I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
