Matthew 10
1 He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
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 are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;
[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; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;
Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; me, Matthew, the tax collector; James, the [son] of Alpheus; Thaddeus;
4 Simon the Zealot; and Judas 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 Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.
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 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Instead, go to the people of Israel [SYN] who have [gone away from God like] sheep that have gotten lost [MET].
7 As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’
When you go [to them], proclaim to them that God [EUP/MTY] will soon begin to rule over people.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
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 Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts.
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 Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor sandals, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.
11 Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go on.
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 As you enter into the household, greet it.
13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace 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 Whoever doesn’t receive you or hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off 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 Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
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 “Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless 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 councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.
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 Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.
[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 deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will 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 speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in 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 deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put 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 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end 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 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man has come.
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 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.
A disciple should not [expect to be] greater than his teacher, and servants [are not] superior to their master.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!
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 Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be 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 darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.
[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 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. 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 “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
[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 the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
[He cares about you, too]. He even knows how many hairs you have on your head!
31 Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.
[God] values you much more than he values sparrows [LIT]. So, do not be afraid [of people who threaten to kill you]
32 Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, I will also confess him 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 denies me before men, I will also deny him 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 “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send 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 at odds against his father, and 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 A man’s foes will be those of his own household.
[This shows that sometimes] a person’s enemies will be members of his own household.
37 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t 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 He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me isn’t 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 He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find 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 “He who receives you receives me, and he who 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 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of 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 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way 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].
