Matthew 10
10
Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles
(Mark 3.13-19; Luke 6.12-16)
1Jesus called together his twelve disciples. He gave them the power to force out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. 2The first of the twelve apostles was Simon, better known as Peter. His brother Andrew was an apostle, and so were James and John, the two sons of Zebedee. 3Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector,#10.3 tax collector: See the note at 5.46. James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus were also apostles. 4The others were Simon, known as the Eager One,#10.4 known as the Eager One: The Greek text has “Cananaean,” which probably comes from a Hebrew word meaning “zealous” (see Luke 6.15). “Zealot” was the name later given to the members of a Jewish group that resisted and fought against the Romans. and Judas Iscariot,#10.4 Iscariot: This may mean “a man from Kerioth” (a place in Judea). But more probably it means “a man who was a liar” or “a man who was a betrayer.” who later betrayed Jesus.
Instructions for the Twelve Apostles
(Mark 6.7-13; Luke 9.1-6)
5Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions:
Stay away from the Gentiles and don't go to any Samaritan town. 6Go only to the people of Israel, because they are like a flock of lost sheep. 7#Lk 10.4-12. As you go, announce that the kingdom of heaven will soon be here.#10.7 will soon be here: Or “is already here.” 8Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy,#10.8 leprosy: See the note at 8.2. and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid. 9Don't take along any gold, silver, or copper coins. 10#1 Co 9.14; 1 Ti 5.18. And don't carry#10.9,10 Don't take along … don't carry: Or “Don't accept … don't accept.” a traveling bag or an extra shirt or sandals or a walking stick.
Workers deserve their food. 11So when you go to a town or a village, find someone able and willing to have you as their guest and stay with them until you leave. 12When you go to a home, give it your blessing of peace. 13If the home is deserving, let your blessing remain with them. But if the home doesn't accept you, take back your blessing of peace. 14#Ac 13.51. If someone won't welcome you or listen to your message, leave their home or town. And shake the dust from your feet at them.#10.14 shake the dust from your feet at them: This was a way of showing rejection (see Acts 13.51). 15#Mt 11.24; Gn 19.24-28. I promise you the day of judgment will be easier for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah#10.15 Sodom and Gomorrah: During the time of Abraham the Lord destroyed these towns because the people there were so evil. than for that town.
Warning about Trouble
(Mark 13.9-13; Luke 21.12-17)
16 #
Lk 10.3. I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17#Mk 13.9-11; Lk 12.11,12; 21.12-15. Watch out for people who will take you to court and have you beaten in their synagogues. 18Because of me, you will be dragged before rulers and kings to tell them and the Gentiles about your faith. 19But when someone arrests you, don't worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the words to say. 20But you will not really be the one speaking. The Spirit from your Father will tell you what to say.
21 #
Mk 13.12; Lk 21.16. Brothers and sisters will betray one another and have each other put to death. Parents will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents and have them killed. 22#Mt 24.9; Mk 13.13; Lk 21.17; Mt 24.13; Mk 13.13. Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved. 23When people mistreat you in one town, hurry to another one. I promise you before you have gone to all the towns of Israel, the Son of Man will come.
24 #
Lk 6.40;
Jn 13.16; 15.20. Students are not better than their teacher, and slaves are not better than their master. 25#Mt 9.34; 12.24; Mk 3.22; Lk 11.15. It is enough for students to be like their teacher and for slaves to be like their master. If people call the head of the family Satan, what will they say about the rest of the family?
The One To Fear
(Luke 12.2-7)
26 #
Mk 4.22; Lk 8.17. Don't be afraid of anyone! Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. 27Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. 28#4 Macc 13.14; 4 Macc 9.7; 10.4. Don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. 29Aren't two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. 30Even the hairs on your head are counted. 31So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.
Telling Others about Christ
(Luke 12.8,9)
32If you tell others you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven you are my followers. 33#2 Ti 2.12. But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven you don't belong to me.
Not Peace, but Trouble
(Luke 12.51-53; 14.26,27)
34Don't think I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. 35#Mic 7.6. I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. 36Your worst enemies will be in your own family.
37 #
4 Macc 2.11-13. If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 38#Mt 16.24; Mk 8.34; Lk 9.23. And unless you are willing to take up your cross and follow me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 39#Mt 16.25; Mk 8.35; Lk 9.24; 17.33; Jn 12.25. If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.
Rewards
(Mark 9.41)
40 #
Lk 10.16; Jn 13.20;
Mk 9.37; Lk 9.48. Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me. 41Anyone who welcomes a prophet, just because that person is a prophet, will be given the same reward as a prophet. Anyone who welcomes a good person, just because that person is good, will be given the same reward as a good person. 42And anyone who gives one of my most humble followers a cup of cool water, just because that person is my follower, will be rewarded.
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Matthew 10: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 10
10
The Twelve Apostles
(Mark 3:13–19; Luke 6:12–16)
1And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.
2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, 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 Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot,#10:4 Greek Simon the Cananean and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.#10:4 Literally the one also having betrayed Him
The Ministry of the Twelve
(Mark 6:7–13; Luke 9:1–6)
5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers,#10:8 A leper was one afflicted with a skin disease. See Leviticus 13. drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
9Do not carry any gold or silver or copper in your belts. 10Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.
11Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house #10:11 Literally stay there until you move on. 12As you enter the home, greet its occupants.#10:12 Literally greet it 13If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; but if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Sheep among Wolves
(2 Timothy 1:3–12)
16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. 20For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,#10:25 WH Beezeboul; Vulgate Beelzebub how much more the members of his household!
Fear God Alone
(Luke 12:4–7)
26So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.#10:28 Greek Gehenna
29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?#10:29 Greek an assarion; that is, a Roman copper coin worth about 1/16 of a denarius Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Confessing Christ
(Luke 12:8–12)
32Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.
Not Peace but a Sword
(Micah 7:1–6; Luke 12:49–53)
34Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to turn
‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36A man’s enemies will be the members
of his own household.’#10:36 Micah 7:6
37Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; 38and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
The Reward of Service
(2 Kings 4:8–17)
40He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. 41Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
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