Matthew 10
1 Then He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over foul spirits, to drive them out; and to cure every kind of disease and infirmity.
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.
2 Now the names of the twelve Apostles were these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zabdi, and his brother John;
[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;
3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax-gatherer, James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; me, Matthew, the tax collector; James, the [son] of Alpheus; Thaddeus;
4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas the Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
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.
5 These twelve Jesus sent on a mission, after giving them their instructions: "Go not," He said, "among the Gentiles, and enter no Samaritan town;
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].
6 but, instead of that, go to the lost sheep of Israel's race.
Instead, go to the people of Israel [SYN] who have [gone away from God like] sheep that have gotten lost [MET].
7 And as you go, preach and say, 'The Kingdom of the Heavens is close at hand.'
When you go [to them], proclaim to them that God [EUP/MTY] will soon begin to rule over people.
8 Cure the sick, raise the dead to life, cleanse lepers, drive out demons: you have received without payment, give without payment.
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].
9 "Provide no gold, nor even silver nor copper to carry in your pockets;
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].
10 no bag for your journey, nor change of linen, nor shoes, nor stick; for the labourer deserves his food.
11 "Whatever town or village you enter, inquire for some good man; and make his house your home till you leave the place.
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].
12 When you enter the house, salute it;
13 and if the house deserves it, the peace you invoke shall come upon it. If not, your peace shall return to you.
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].
14 And whoever refuses to receive you or even to listen to your Message, as you leave that house or town, shake off the very dust from your feet.
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].
15 I solemnly tell you that it will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of Judgement than for that town.
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.”
16 "Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves.
“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].
17 But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues;
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.
18 and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.
[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].
19 But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say;
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.
20 for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
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].
21 Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise against their own parents and will put them to death.
[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.
22 And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved.
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.
23 Whenever they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
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].
24 "The learner is never superior to his teacher, and the servant is never superior to his master.
A disciple should not [expect to be] greater than his teacher, and servants [are not] superior to their master.
25 Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants?
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]!”
26 Fear them not, however; there is nothing veiled which will not be uncovered, nor secret which will not become known.
“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].
27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what is whispered into your ear, proclaim upon the roofs of the houses.
[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].
28 "And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
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)
29 Do not two sparrows sell for a halfpenny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave.
[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].
30 But as for you, the very hairs on your heads are all numbered.
[He cares about you, too]. He even knows how many hairs you have on your head!
31 Away then with fear; you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows.
[God] values you much more than he values sparrows [LIT]. So, do not be afraid [of people who threaten to kill you]
32 "Every man who acknowledges me before men I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven.
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].
33 But whoever disowns me before men I also will disown before my Father who is in Heaven.
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].”
34 "Do not suppose that I came to bring peace to the earth: I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
“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.
35 For I came to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
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.
36 and a man's own family will be his foes.
[This shows that sometimes] a person’s enemies will be members of his own household.
37 Any one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
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.
38 and any one who does not take up his cross and follow where I lead is not worthy of me.
[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.
39 To save your life is to lose it, and to lose your life for my sake is to save it.
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].”
40 "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives Him who sent me.
“[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].
41 Every one who receives a prophet, because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and every one who receives a righteous man, because he is a righteous man, will receive a righteous man's reward.
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].
42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I solemnly tell you that he will not lose his reward."
[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].
