1Jesus called his twelve disciples to him. He gave them power over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to heal every kind of sickness and every kind of disease.
2These 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;
3Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;
4Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5Jesus sent these twelve out, and he gave them these orders: "Do not go along the road to the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans."
6"Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
7"As you go, preach and say, 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'"
8"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, drive out demons. You received without paying; give without being paid."
9"Do not take gold, or silver, or copper in your money belts,"
10"or a bag for the journey, or two coats, or shoes, or a staff. For the worker deserves his food."
11"Whatever city or town you enter, ask who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave."
12"When you come into a house, greet it."
13"If the house 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 welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city."
15"I tell you the truth, on the day of judgment it will be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha than for that city."
16"Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be wise as snakes, and harmless as doves."
17"But be on your guard against people. They will hand you over to the councils, and they will whip you in their synagogues."
18"You will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and to the Gentiles."
19"But when they hand you over, do not worry about how you will speak or what you will say. What you are to say will be given to you at that time."
20"For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."
21"Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death."
22"Everyone will hate you because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."
23"When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. For I tell you the truth, you will not have finished going through the cities of Israel before the Son of man comes."
24"A disciple is not above his teacher, and a servant is not above his lord."
25"It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call the members of his household by such names?"
26"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, and nothing hidden that will not be made known."
27"What I tell you in the dark, say in the light. What you hear whispered in your ear, preach from the housetops."
28"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
29"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father."
30"Even the hairs of your head are all counted."
31"So do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows."
32"So whoever confesses me before others, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven."
33"But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven."
34"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
35"For I have come to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
36"A man's enemies will be the people of his own household."
37"Anyone who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
38"Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
39"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
40"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me."
41"Whoever welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. And whoever welcomes a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward."
42"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."