1 He called his twelve disciples. He gave them power to cast out unclean spirits and to heal all kinds of disease and sickness.

2 The following are the names of the twelve apostles ambassadors of the good newsmessengers: 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 Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed him.

5 Jesus sent the twelve. He gave them orders not to go to the people of the nations and not to go to the Samaritans.

6 He said: »Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 »Preach as you go! Announce the kingdom of heaven, for it is near.

8 »Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid.

9 »Do not take gold, silver, or copper money in your money belt.

10 »Take no extra clothes, not even two coats, no extra shoes or walking stick for the laborer is worthy of his food.

11 »Go into a city or village and search for the worthy ones. Stay with them until you are ready to leave.

12 »When you enter the house, offer a blessing of peace.

13 »If the people are worthy, let your blessing stand. If they are not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 »If someone will not welcome you and listen to the message, leave that house or town, shake the dust off your feet and move on.

15 »I tell you, it will be better for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that town.

16 »I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

17 »Beware of men! They will take you to court! They will have you beaten in their meeting places.

18 »You will be taken before governors and kings for my sake. This will serve as a testimony to them and to the people of the nations.

19 »When they hand you over, do not worry about what to say and how to say it. You will be given the words to speak at that time.

20 »You will not speak on your own. Your Father’s Spirit will speak through you.

21 »People will hand over their brothers to be put to death. Parents will oppose children and children will oppose parents, causing them to be put to death.

22 »Men will hate you because of me. He who endures to the end will be saved.

23 »When they persecute you in this city, flee to the next. I tell you; before you have gone through all the cities of Israel the Son of man will come.

24 »A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a servant his master.

25 »It is enough for the disciple student that he is like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub Satan, others of the household could also be called the same!

26 »Do not be afraid. Nothing will be hidden. Every secret will be made known.

27 »The things I tell you in darkness, speak in the light. Proclaim everything you hear from on top of the house.

28 »Do not fear those who kill the body. They are not able to take away your everlasting life. Instead, fear him who is able to destroy both life and body in the ever-burning fires. Greek: Gehenna: continuously burning trash fires in the valley of Hinnom.

29 »Do two sparrows sell for a penny? Not one of them will fall on the ground without your Father knowing.

30 »Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 »Do not fear! You are more valuable than many sparrows.

32 »I will tell my heavenly Father about everyone who confesses me witnesses to others about me before men.

33 »I will deny, before my heavenly Father, anyone who denies me before men.

34 »Do not think I came to bring peace on the earth. I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

35 »My coming will cause a separation. A man will be 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 from his own family.

37 »He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 »Anyone who does not pick up his stake and follow me is not worthy of me.

39 »Whoever finds his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

40 »He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

41 »Anyone who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Anyone who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

42 »And whoever gives a drink of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will not lose his reward.«