Matthew 10

¹Then Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to cure diseases.

²And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

¹³Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him.

¹⁴He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,

⁷Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.

⁸He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—

¹⁹Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

¹⁷And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

¹⁸they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

⁴⁹And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

¹³When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

²¹Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them,

⁸One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,

¹⁸As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

¹⁰and so were his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Simon. “From now on you will catch men.”

²²Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus.

¹³When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

¹⁸Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,

⁹As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

⁴³The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.”

⁴⁴Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.

¹⁴As He was walking along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Levi got up and followed Him.

¹⁶Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

¹⁴Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

⁷¹He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.

⁴³While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.

²The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

⁴⁷While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.

¹⁸Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,

¹⁹and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

⁹“You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

²¹Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

²²The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”

²⁴Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.

²⁵Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the Lord, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them.

⁸For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs,

⁹so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.”

¹⁶hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

²²You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

²³But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.

⁶My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, causing them to roam the mountains. They have wandered from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place.

⁶My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. They were scattered over the face of all the earth, with no one to search for them or seek them out.’

⁶We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

²⁵For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

⁴⁶Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

¹⁷⁶I have strayed like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.

³¹Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

²and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

¹⁷From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

⁶⁰But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

¹⁶The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

⁹Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

¹⁰But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare,

⁶But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

⁹Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

³⁰as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

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.

³³I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

³⁴You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions.

¹⁸they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

³⁵Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered.

³“Take nothing for the journey,” He told them, “no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no second tunic.

⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that area.

⁸He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—

⁹and to wear sandals, but not a second tunic.

⁴Carry no purse or bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the road.

⁵Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’

⁷Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?

⁸Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?

¹⁷Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

¹⁸For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

⁷Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

⁸If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you.

⁴Have we no right to food and to drink?

⁵Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

⁶Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.

⁷Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.

¹¹John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”

⁷“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

⁷Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

⁸If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you.

¹After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

²There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them,

⁹“Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”

¹⁰So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.”

³²but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—

³⁸As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

³⁹She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message.

⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that area.

⁵Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’

⁶If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.

⁶and say to him, ‘Long life to you, and peace to you and to your house and to all that belongs to you.

²⁰Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

³⁶He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

¹⁴Instead, I hope to see you soon and speak with you face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send you greetings. Greet each of our friends there by name.

⁶If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.

¹³Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

¹⁶To the one we are an odor that brings death, to the other a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task?

¹⁰But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare,

¹¹‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’

⁶But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

¹³I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

⁵¹So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

¹¹If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.”

⁵If anyone does not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that town, as a testimony against them.”

²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.

²³Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.

⁶if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly;

²²But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

²³And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

¹¹‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’

¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

⁴⁸As surely as I live, declares the Lord God, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did as you and your daughters have done.

⁴⁹Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy.

¹⁷In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him.

¹⁵so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

³Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

²⁰Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

⁵Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.

¹⁵Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

¹⁶redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

¹⁸For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

¹⁹Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.

⁹So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.

³⁴Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.

¹¹When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.

²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

¹¹I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

²They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.

²⁵Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”

²⁶At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.

¹Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

²The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the Lord and against His Anointed One:

⁴Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”

¹Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.

²When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation.

⁹So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.

³³When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.

³⁴The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,

¹²Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.”

¹¹But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

¹²Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

¹⁷But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.

¹¹When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.

¹²But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. On account of My name they will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors.

¹³This will be your opportunity to serve as witnesses.

¹⁵You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you to speak, and I will teach you what to do.

¹⁵For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

¹⁰but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

²The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.

¹²For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”

²¹For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

¹⁶You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.

¹⁷And you will be hated by everyone because of My name.

⁵Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.

⁶For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

¹²Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

¹³You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

¹⁰At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,

⁵¹Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division.

⁵²From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.

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.

¹³But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

¹⁰Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹³You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

¹³So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

²⁸Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

⁵³So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.

⁵⁴As a result, Jesus no longer went about publicly among the Jews, but He withdrew to a town called Ephraim in an area near the wilderness. And He stayed there with the disciples.

²⁶At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

¹⁰As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

¹And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

²⁹They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him over the cliff.

³⁰But Jesus passed through the crowd and went on His way.

²⁰Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.

⁴⁰A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

¹⁶Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

¹¹Uriah answered, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers are camped in the open field. How can I go to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing!”

¹⁵but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”

³⁴But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons.”

²⁴But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”

²⁰“You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”

²²And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.”

⁴⁸The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”

¹⁷For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light.

²²For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.

⁸Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.

⁵Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

¹But now, this is what the Lord says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!

²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

²There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.

³What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.

²⁰“Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”

¹³However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

¹“I have told you these things so that you will not fall away.

²⁰Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;

²¹in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:

¹⁰He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’

¹That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.

²Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.

⁴I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.

⁵But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!

¹²“Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.

¹³The Lord of Hosts is the One you shall regard as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be dreaded.

¹⁰Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹²There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

³⁶As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

¹²Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.

¹³Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

⁷And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

²⁷All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.

²⁸When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

⁷And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

⁴⁵But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

³⁴So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”

¹⁸Yet not even a hair of your head will perish.

¹¹“Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the Lord your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”

⁵²And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”

²⁴Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!

⁵You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.

²⁶Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

¹¹He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

¹²How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

⁹For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?

¹⁰Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.

⁵Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.

⁸I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God.

⁹But whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

⁹that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

¹⁰For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

¹⁵If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

⁸So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.

¹³I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits, yet you hold fast to My name. You did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of My faithful witness Antipas, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.

¹²if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;

²⁶If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

⁹But whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

²³Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

¹Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

³⁸If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

⁴⁹I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

⁵⁰But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

⁴The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles.

⁴⁵But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.

⁴⁶Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

²But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

⁴⁰On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”

⁴¹Others declared, “This is the Christ.” But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee?

¹⁰Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and conflict in all the land. I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.

⁵Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.

⁶For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

²¹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

¹⁶You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.

¹⁰At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,

¹²Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

⁶For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

⁶Even your brothers—your own father’s household—even they have betrayed you; even they have cried aloud against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.

⁹Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

⁸Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

⁹And the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

¹³He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.

¹⁴My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.

¹³But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend.

²⁶“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.

³⁷Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

⁷But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.

⁸More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

¹⁴For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.

¹⁵And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

⁹He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them.’ He disregarded his brothers and did not know his own sons, for he kept Your word and maintained Your covenant.

¹⁵When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”

¹⁶Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

²⁷And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.

³⁴Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

²⁴Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

²³Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

²⁴For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

¹⁷Carrying His own cross, He went out to The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.

²¹Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

²⁵Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

³⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.

³⁶What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

³³Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.

²⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

²⁶What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

²⁴For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

¹⁰Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

²⁰Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”

⁴⁸And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

¹⁶Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

⁵And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

⁴⁰And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

²¹Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”

⁵Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.

⁶They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

¹⁰For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.

¹⁶And Elisha declared, “At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord,” she said. “Do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God.”

¹⁷But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

⁸One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.

⁹Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God.

¹³But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind,

¹⁴and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

³and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the Lord,

⁴for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)

¹⁰For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.

⁴⁰And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

⁴¹Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.

⁴²But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

⁷Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.

¹⁰See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.

¹⁵And as you Philippians know, in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church but you partnered with me in the matter of giving and receiving.

¹⁶For even while I was in Thessalonica, you provided for my needs again and again.