Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

5 ^uThese twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of ^zthe Samaritans,

6 ^abut go rather to ^bthe lost sheep of ^cthe house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ^d‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’¹ 8 ^eHeal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,² cast out demons. ^fYou received without paying; give without pay. 9 ^gAcquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics³ or sandals or a staff, for ^hthe laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, ⁱgreet it. 13 And if the house is ^jworthy, let ⁱyour peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let ⁱyour peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, ^lshake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, ^mit will be more bearable on the day of judgment for ⁿthe land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Persecution Will Come

16 ^o“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be ^pwise as serpents and ^qinnocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for ^rthey will deliver you over to courts and flog you ^sin their synagogues, 18 ^rand you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, ^tto bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 ^rWhen ^uthey deliver you over, ^vdo not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for ^wwhat you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 ^xFor it is not you who speak, but ^ythe Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 ^zBrother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 ^aand you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. ^bBut the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they ^cpersecute you in one town, ^dflee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel ^ebefore the Son of Man comes.

24 ^f“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant⁴ above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. ^gIf they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign⁵ those of his household.