1He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, also called Thaddaeus;
4Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed him.
5Jesus sent these twelve out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.
6Instead, go to the lost people of Israel.
7As you go, announce, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is coming soon!’
8Heal the sick, cleanse those with leprosy, and cast out demons. You received these abilities freely, so give them freely.
9Don’t carry any gold, silver, or copper coins in your money belts.
10Don’t take a bag for your journey, or two shirts, or sandals, or a staff. A worker deserves to be provided for.
11When you enter any city or village, find out who there is worthy, and stay with them until you leave.
12When you go into a home, greet it.
13If the home is worthy, let your peace stay with it. If it’s not worthy, take your peace back.
14If anyone doesn’t welcome you or listen to your message, when you leave that house or city, shake the dust off your feet.
15I tell you the truth, on the Day of Judgment, it will be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city.
16Listen, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves.
17But be careful of people, because they will hand you over to councils and whip you in their synagogues.
18Yes, you will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to testify to them and to the nations.
19But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should say. At that moment, you will be given what you need to say.
20Because it won’t be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father will betray his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them killed.
22Everyone will hate you because you follow me. But the one who remains faithful to the end will be saved.
23When they persecute you in one city, flee to the next. I assure you, you will not have gone through all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24“A student is not superior to his teacher, nor a servant superior to his master.
25It is enough for a student to become like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ they will certainly say worse things about the members of his household!
26So don't be afraid of them. Everything that is now covered up will be uncovered, and everything hidden will be made known.
27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. And what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
28Don't be afraid of those who can kill the body but can't kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of God, who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna (hell).
29Aren't two sparrows sold for a single copper coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing about it.
30In fact, every single hair on your head has been counted.
31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on Earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
33But everyone who denies me publicly here on Earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
34Don't think that I came to bring peace to the earth. I didn't come to bring peace, but a sword.
35For I came to turn a son against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36A person's enemies will be the members of their own household.
37Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38Anyone who doesn't take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39Those who try to save their own life will lose it, but those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
40Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
41Whoever welcomes a prophet because they are a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. And whoever welcomes a righteous person because they are righteous will receive a righteous person's reward.
42And anyone who gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones simply because they are my follower, I assure you, they will certainly not lose their reward.