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 having called together his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to cure every sickness 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 the names of the twelve Apostles are these: the First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; me, Matthew, the tax collector; James, the [son] of Alpheus; Thaddeus;
James of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, and James of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus,
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 betrayed him.
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].
Jesus sent these twelve, instructing them, saying: “Do not travel by the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter into the 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 instead go to the sheep who have fallen away from 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 going forth, preach, saying: ‘For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.’
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 infirm, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You have received freely, so give freely.
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].
Do not choose to possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your belts,
nor provisions for the journey, nor two tunics, nor shoes, nor a staff. For the laborer deserves his portion.
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].
Now, into whatever city or town you will enter, inquire as to who is worthy within it. And stay there until you depart.
Then, when you enter into the house, greet it, saying, ‘Peace to this house.’
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, indeed, that house is worthy, your peace will rest upon it. But if it is not worthy, your peace will 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 has neither received you, nor listened to your words, departing from that house or 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.”
Amen I say to you, it will 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 am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be as prudent as serpents and as simple 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 hand you over to councils, and they will 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 shall be led before both rulers and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to 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 hand you over, do not choose to think about how or what to speak. For what to speak shall be given to 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 who will be speaking, but the Spirit of your Father, who will speak 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.
And brother will hand over brother to death, and father will hand over son. And children will rise up against parents and bring about their deaths.
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 for the sake of my name. But whoever will have persevered, even to the end, the same 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].
Now when they persecute you in one city, flee into another. Amen I say to you, you will not have exhausted all the cities of Israel, before the Son of man returns.
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 the teacher, nor is 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 sufficient for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant, like his master. If they have called the Father of the family, ‘Beelzebub,’ 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].
Therefore, do not fear them. For nothing is covered that shall not be revealed, nor hidden that shall not be 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 whispered in the ear, preach above the rooftops.
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 do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But instead 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 one small coin? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father.
30 [He cares about you, too]. He even knows how many hairs you have on your head!
For even the hairs of your head have all been numbered.
31 [God] values you much more than he values sparrows [LIT]. So, do not be afraid [of people who threaten to kill you]
Therefore, do not be afraid. You are worth more 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].
Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge 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 have denied me before men, I also will 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.
Do not think that I came to send peace upon the earth. I came, not to send peace, but the 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 came to divide a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36 [This shows that sometimes] a person’s enemies will be members of his own household.
And the enemies of a man will 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.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter above 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 up his cross and follow 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].”
Whoever finds his life, will lose it. And whoever will have lost his life because of me, 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].
Whoever receives you, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives him who 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].
Whoever receives a prophet, in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet. And whoever receives the just in the name of the just shall receive the reward of the just.
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 shall give, even to one of the least of these, a cup of cold water to drink, solely in the name of a disciple: Amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
