Mat 10 | Mont | STEP | And when he had called his twelve disciples to him, he gave them power over evil spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and infirmity.

‏ Matthew 10

1 And when he had called his twelve disciples to him, he gave them power over evil spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and infirmity. 2 These are the names of the apostles (missionaries). First, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother; Jamesthe son of Zebedee, and John, his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew, the tax-gatherer; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname is Thaddeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

5 These men, the Twelve, Jesus sent forth, after giving them the following instructions. "Do not go among the Gentiles, or enter any Samaritan town, 6 "but rather be on your way to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 "As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 "Take no gold or silver or coppers in your purses; 10 "not even a bag for the journey, or a change of clothes, or sandals, or even a stick; for the worker is worth his rations. 11 "Into whatever city or town you enter, inquire for some worthy person there, and stay with him until you leave. 12 "When you enter the house, salute it; 13 "and if the house is worthy let your blessing sit upon it; but if it be unworthy, let your blessing return to you. 14 "And whoever will not receive you or listen to your words, as you go out from that house or that city, shake off the very dust from your feet. 15 "I tell you solemnly it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that town.

16 "Behold, it is I who am sending you forth like sheep among wolves. Be then as serpents and as guileless as doves. 17 "But beware of men! For they will give you up to the Sanhedrin, and flog you in their synagogues. 18 "And you will be taken before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 "But whenever they apprehend you, do not be anxious about how you shall speak or what you shall say; for it will be given you in that very hour what to say. 20 "For it will not be you who is speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 "And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and put them to death. 22 "You will be hated by all men because of my name; and he who endures to the end shall be saved. 23 "But when they persecute you in one city, flee to the next. In solemn truth I tell you that you shall not have completed the cities of Israel, before the Son of man comes. 24 "A pupil is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his masters. 25 "It is enough for the pupil to fare like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more, the members of his household. 26 "So do not fear them; for there is nothing concealed which shall not be revealed, nor anything secret which shall not become known. 27 "What I am telling you is in the darkness, do you speak in the light; and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but fear rather him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. 29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a half-penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your father. 30 "The very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 "Cease to be afraid! You are of greater value than many sparrows. 32 "Every one, then, who will confess me before men, I also will confess before my Father who is in heaven. 33 "But whoever disowns me before men, I also will disown before my Father who is in heaven. 34 "Do not suppose that I am come to bring peace on the earth; I am come not to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to set "a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 "and a man’s own household will be his enemies. 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 has saved his life shall lose it; and he who has lost his life for my sake shall find it. 40 "Whoever receives you is receiving me, and he who receives me is receiving Him who sent me. 41 "Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever receives a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 "And whoever gives to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, because he is a disciple, I tell you in solemn truth, he shall not lose his reward.