Matthew 10:16-39

English Standard Version

Persecution Will Come

^16 (A)“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be ^(B)wise as serpents and ^(C)innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of men, for ^(D)they will deliver you over to courts and flog you ^(E)in their synagogues, ^18 (F)and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, ^(G)to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. ^19 (H)When ^(I)they deliver you over, ^(J)do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for ^(K)what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. ^20 (L)For it is not you who speak, but ^(M)the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ^21 (N)Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, ^22 (O)and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. ^(P)But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they ^(Q)persecute you in one town, ^(R)flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel ^(S)before the Son of Man comes.

^24 (T)“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant^[a] above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. ^(U)If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign^[b] those of his household.

Have No Fear

²⁶ “So have no fear of them, ^(V)for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on ^(W)the housetops. ²⁸ And ^(X)do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him ^(Y)who can destroy both soul and body in hell.^{[c] 29} Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?^[d] And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ But ^(Z)even the hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Fear not, therefore; ^(AA)you are of more value than many sparrows. ^32 (AB)So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, ³³ but ^(AC)whoever denies me before men, ^(AD)I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

^34 (AE)“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. ^(AF)I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ^35 (AG)For I have come ^(AH)to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ^36 (AI)And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. ^37 (AJ)Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And ^(AK)whoever does not take his cross and ^(AL)follow me is not worthy of me. ^39 (AM)Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.