[1] And he got together his twelve disciples and gave them the power of
driving out unclean spirits, and of making well all sorts of disease and
pain. [2] Now the names of the twelve are these: The first, Simon, who is
named Peter, and Andrew, his brother; James, the son of Zebedee, and John,
his brother; [3] Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the
tax-farmer; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; [4] Simon the
Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who was false to him. [5] These twelve Jesus
sent out and gave them orders, saying, Do not go among the Gentiles, or
into any town of Samaria, [6] But go to the wandering sheep of the house of
Israel, [7] And, on your way, say, The kingdom of heaven is near. [8] Make
well those who are ill, give life to the dead, make lepers clean, send evil
spirits out of men; freely it has been given to you, freely give. [9] Take
no gold or silver or copper in your pockets; [10] Take no bag for your
journey and do not take two coats or shoes or a stick: for the workman has
a right to his food. [11] And into whatever town or small place you go,
make search there for someone who is respected, and make his house your
resting-place till you go away. [12] And when you go in, say, May peace be
on this house. [13] And if the house is good enough, let your peace come on
it: but if not, let your peace come back to you. [14] And whoever will not
take you in, or give ear to your words, when you go out from that house or
that town, put off its dust from your feet. [15] Truly I say to you, It
will be better for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of God's
judging than for that town. [16] See, I send you out as sheep among wolves.
Be then as wise as snakes, and as gentle as doves. [17] But be on the watch
against men: for they will give you up to the Sanhedrins, and in their
Synagogues they will give you blows; [18] And you will come before rulers
and kings because of me, for a witness to them and to the Gentiles. [19]
But when you are given up into their hands, do not be troubled about what
to say or how to say it: for in that hour what you are to say will be given
to you; [20] Because it is not you who say the words, but the Spirit of
your Father in you. [21] And brother will give up brother to death, and the
father his child: and children will go against their fathers and mothers,
and put them to death. [22] And you will be hated by all men because of my
name: but he who is strong to the end will have salvation. [23] But when
they are cruel to you in one town, go in flight to another: for truly, I
say to you, You will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the
Son of man comes. [24] A disciple is not greater than his master, or a
servant than his lord. [25] It is enough for the disciple that he may be as
his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have given the name
Beelzebub to the master of the house, how much more to those of his house!
[26] Have, then, no fear of them: because nothing is covered which will not
come to light, or secret which will not be made clear. [27] What I say to
you in the dark, say in the light: and what comes to your ear secretly, say
publicly from the house-tops. [28] And have no fear of those who put to
death the body, but are not able to put to death the soul. But have fear of
him who has power to give soul and body to destruction in hell. [29] Are
not sparrows two a farthing? and not one of them comes to an end without
your Father: [30] But the hairs of your head are all numbered. [31] Then
have no fear; you are of more value than a flock of sparrows. [32] To
everyone, then, who gives witness to me before men, I will give witness
before my Father in heaven. [33] But if anyone says before men that he has
no knowledge of me, I will say that I have no knowledge of him before my
Father in heaven. [34] Do not have the thought that I have come to send
peace on the earth; I came not to send peace but a sword. [35] For I have
come to put a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother,
and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: [36] And a man will be
hated by those of his house. [37] He who has more love for his father or
mother than for me is not good enough for me; he who has more love for son
or daughter than for me is not good enough for me. [38] And he who does not
take his cross and come after me is not good enough for me. [39] He who has
the desire to keep his life will have it taken from him, and he who gives
up his life because of me will have it given back to him. [40] He who gives
honour to you gives honour to me; and he who gives honour to me gives
honour to him who sent me. [41] He who gives honour to a prophet, in the
name of a prophet, will be given a prophet's reward; and he who gives
honour to an upright man, in the name of an upright man, will be given an
upright man's reward. [42] And whoever gives to one of these little ones a
cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he
will not go without his reward.
