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10
The Twelve Apostles
1 And summoning His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every illness. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, who was surnamed Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
The Mission of the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, commanding them, saying, “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Do not acquire gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 not a knapsack for the road, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
11 “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go out. 12 And as you enter into a household, greet it. 13 And if indeed the house should be worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it should not be worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly 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!
Coming Persecutions
16 “Behold, I am sending you forth like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to councils and they will flog you in their synagogues. 18 And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the nations. 19 But whenever they hand you over, do not worry how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for you are not the ones speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who is speaking in you.
21 “Now brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and put them to death. 22 And you will be hated by all people for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 23 But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly I say to you, by no means will you have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he become like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call his household members! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For nothing is concealed that shall not be unveiled, and secret that shall not be made known.
Jesus Teaches the Fear of God
27 “What I say to you in the dark, say in the light; and what you hear in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. 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 hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them shall fall on the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Therefore do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore whoever who will confess Me before men, I also will confess Him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not suppose that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘A man's enemies will be his own household members.’ 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 is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
40 “He that receives you receives Me, and he that receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito