Matthew — Chapter 10
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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, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
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, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
9Do not take along 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 until you move on.
12As you enter the home, greet its occupants.
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.
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, how much more the members of his household!
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.
29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? 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.
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.
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.’
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.
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.”
1And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The 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 publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
1And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness.
2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The 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 publican; James the [son] of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5These twelve Jesus sent forth, and charged them, saying, Go not into [any] way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the Samaritans:
6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give.
9Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses;
10no wallet for [your] journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.
11And into whatsoever city or village ye shall enter, search out who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go forth.
12And as ye enter into the house, salute it.
13And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in theirs synagogues they will scourge you;
18yea and before governors and kings shall ye be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak.
20For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.
21And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child: and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name`s sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
23But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.
25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household!
26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the house-tops.
28And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father:
30but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
34Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law:
36and a man`s foes [shall be] they of his own household.
37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.
39He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet`s reward: and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man`s reward.
42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward.
1Jesus called his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness.
2Now these are the names of the 12 apostles: first, Simon (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother;
3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5Jesus sent out these 12, instructing them as follows: “Do not go on a road that leads to Gentile regions and do not enter any Samaritan town.
6Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’
8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.
9Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts;
10no bag for the journey; or an extra tunic or sandals or staff; for the worker deserves his provisions.
11Whenever you enter a town or village, find out who is worthy there and stay with them until you leave.
12As you enter the house, greet those within it.
13And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or that town.
15I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!
16“I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
17Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues.
18And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and to the Gentiles.
19Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time.
20For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21“Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death.
22And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved!
23Whenever they persecute you in one town, flee to another! I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24“A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master.
25It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much worse will they call the members of his household!
26“Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known.
27What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and 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 is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
30Even all the hairs on your head are numbered.
31So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32“Whoever, then, acknowledges me before people, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
33But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also 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!
35For 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,
36and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38And whoever 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 because of me will find it.
40“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
41Whoever 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.
42And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, he will never lose his reward.”
1He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;
3Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;
4Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.
6Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’
8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
9Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts.
10Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.
11Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on.
12As you enter into the household, greet it.
13If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.
14Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.
15Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
16“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.
18Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.
19But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.
20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21“Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.
23But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.
24“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.
25It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!
26Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.
27What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.
28Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
29“Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will,
30but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.
32Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
33But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
34“Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.
35For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36A man’s foes will be those of his own household.
37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
38He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.
39He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
40He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.
41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
42Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”
Summary
Jesus commissions the twelve apostles, naming them (vv. 1-4), and sends them to the lost sheep of Israel with authority over disease and demons, instructing them to preach that the kingdom of heaven is near, heal freely, travel light, and rely on worthy hosts (vv. 5-15). He warns that they will be sent out like sheep among wolves, dragged before rulers, and betrayed even by family, but the Spirit will supply their words and those who endure to the end will be saved (vv. 16-23). He tells them not to fear those who can kill only the body, since sparrows and the hairs of their heads are under the Father's care, and that following Him brings division as well as peace, requiring them to love Him above family and take up their cross to find true life (vv. 24-39). He closes by promising a reward for anyone who welcomes His messengers, down to a cup of cold water given in His name (vv. 40-42).
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- The mission is confined to Israel: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not" (v.5). The disciples were sent only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
- Cities and villages of Galilee and Judea: The twelve were sent throughout the towns of Israel, preaching the kingdom.
- The geographic restriction would later be lifted in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19) — "all nations."
Places on this map
- Galileenorthern IsraelThe northern hill country above the Jezreel Valley, wetter and greener than Judah and crossed by the trade road to Damascus. That traffic is why Judeans considered it mixed and provincial, and why Jesus grew up hearing more than one language. Wikipedia
- SamariaSebastia, West BankOmri bought a bare hill and built a capital on it, which gave the northern kingdom a fortress with no prior claim on it, the same calculation David made with Jerusalem. It commands the pass west toward the coastal plain. The name later spread to the whole region between Galilee and Judea. Wikipedia
- Judeasouthern Israel and the West BankThe southern hill country around Jerusalem, high, stony and dry, with the wilderness on one side and the Philistine plain on the other. Poor farming and hard access are what let it stay independent longest. Wikipedia
Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik examines the commissioning of the twelve, the instructions for mission, the persecution warnings, the "wise as serpents" balance, and the cost of discipleship in vv.34-39.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Matthew -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Freely Give What You've Freely Received (v.8) — Jesus reminds His disciples that their authority and gifts were given to them freely by God. Where are you hoarding what was meant to be shared with others?
- Wise and Innocent (v.16) — Jesus sends His disciples out calling them to be shrewd as serpents yet harmless as doves. How do you balance discernment and integrity in your workplace, relationships, and witness?
- Fearing God Alone (v.28) — Jesus says not to fear those who can only harm the body but cannot touch the soul. What human opinion or threat are you fearing more than God?
- Known in Every Detail (v.30) — Jesus says even the hairs of your head are numbered, showing a Father who is neither distant nor distracted. How does knowing you're that specifically known and cared for change how you face today?
- Carrying Your Cross (v.38) — Jesus says a follower must take up his own cross to be worthy of Him. What is your cross right now, and are you carrying it or avoiding it?
- Losing Your Life to Find It (v.39) — Jesus says the one who clings to his life will lose it, while the one who gives it up for His sake will find it. What is God asking you to let go of that you're still clinging to?