1 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority to cast out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and * Lebbaeus, who was given the name 97.6% ¦ — CT 0.4%Lebbaeus, who was given the name Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the † Cananite ¦ Cananaean CTCananite, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Do not go anywhere among the Gentiles, and do not enter any town of the Samaritans, 6  but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7  As you go, preach that the kingdom of heaven has drawn near. 8  Heal the sick, ‡ cleanse lepers, ¦ cleanse lepers, raise the dead, ANT TR ¦ raise the dead, cleanse lepers, CTcleanse lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 9  Take no gold, silver, or copper in your belts. 10  Take no knapsack for your journey, no extra tunic, sandals, or § staffs ¦ staff ANT CT STstaffs, for the worker is worthy of his food. 11  Whenever you enter a town or village, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave that place. 12  As you enter the house, greet the people who live * there. ¦ there, saying, ‘May peace be upon this house!’ ANTthere. 13  If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14  If anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you go out from that house or town. 15  Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

16  “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves, so be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17  But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18  For my sake you will even be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19  When they hand you over, do not be anxious about how to speak or what to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20  For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21  Brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. 22  You will be hated by all because of my name, but he who endures to the end will be saved. 23  When they persecute you in one town, flee to another, for truly I say to you, you will certainly not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24  “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a servant above his master. 25  It is sufficient for a disciple to be like his teacher and for a servant to be like his master. If they have † called the master of the house ¦ stigmatized the master of the house as PCKcalled the master of the house ‡ Beelzebul ¦ Beelzebub SCRBeelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household?

26  “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. 27  What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28  Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear him who can destroy both the soul and the body in hell. 29  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's consent. 30  And even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31  So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32  “Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33  But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.

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

40  “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41  Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; whoever receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. 42  And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will certainly not lose his reward.”