1 And 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. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 9 Do not carry any gold or silver or copper in your belts. 10 Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on. 12 As you enter the home, greet its occupants. 13 If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; but if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. 16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But 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. 20 For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When 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. 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It 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! 26 So 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. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do 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. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. 34 Do not assume 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 turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone 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; 38 and 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 He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. 41 Whoever 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. 42 And 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.”
Matthew · Berean Standard Bible
Matthew 10 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Alphaeus
Named as father of James, one of the Twelve (Matthew 10:3), and as the father of Levi the tax collector (Mark 2:14); the text does not say whether these are two different men…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:3; Mark 2:14; Mark 3:18
Andrew
Simon Peter's brother, a disciple of John the Baptist who first followed Jesus and brought Peter to him, from Bethsaida, and one of the Twelve.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:18; John 1:40
Bartholomew
Listed among the Twelve after Philip in Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18 and Luke 6:14; the Gospels say nothing more of him by that name.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14
James
One of the Twelve, named son of Alphaeus in every list of the apostles.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15
James
A fisherman called by Jesus together with his brother John, one of the Twelve, to whom Jesus gave the name Boanerges, 'Sons of Thunder'.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:21; Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:17
John
A fisherman called together with his brother James, one of the Twelve, to whom Jesus gave the name Boanerges, 'Sons of Thunder'.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:21; Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:17
Judas Iscariot
One of the Twelve, son of Simon Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:16
Matthew
A tax collector sitting at the tax booth whom Jesus told 'Follow Me'; Matthew calls him Matthew, while Mark and Luke tell the same call and name him Levi, and Mark 2:14 calls Levi…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 9:9; Matthew 10:3; Mark 2:14
Peter
Simon, whom Jesus named Peter (Cephas), a fisherman from Bethsaida and the first listed of the Twelve, who confessed Jesus as Christ, denied him three times, and was told to feed…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:2; Matthew 16:17; Mark 3:16
Philip
Found by Jesus and told 'Follow Me', from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter, who brought Nathanael to Jesus and is listed among the Twelve.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:3; John 1:43; John 1:44
Simon the Zealot
One of the Twelve, called the Zealot, listed next to Judas Iscariot in each list.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15
Thaddaeus
Listed as Thaddaeus in Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 (Lebbaeus in some KJV readings) and as Judas son of James in Luke 6:16 in the same place among the Twelve; John 14:22 names a…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:16
Thomas
One of the Twelve, called Didymus, who said 'Let us also go, so that we may die with Him', was absent when Jesus first appeared, and was among those who fished with the disciples…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:3; John 11:16; John 20:24
Cross references (42)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 9:1–6; Mark 3:13–15; Mark 6:7–13; Luke 10:19; Mark 16:17–18
- 2 Acts 1:13; Matthew 4:21; John 6:8; Matthew 4:18; Luke 5:10
- 3 Acts 1:13; Mark 3:18; Matthew 9:9; John 1:43–46; Mark 2:14
- 4 Matthew 26:14; John 6:71; Mark 14:43; John 13:2; Matthew 26:47
- 5 John 4:9; Acts 22:21–23; 2 Kings 17:24–41; Romans 15:8–9; 1 Thessalonians 2:16
- 6 Jeremiah 50:6; Ezekiel 34:6; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:25; Acts 13:46
- 7 Acts 28:31; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Luke 9:60; Luke 16:16
- 8 Acts 3:6; Luke 10:9; Acts 4:30; Matthew 10:1; Acts 20:33–35
- 9 Luke 22:35; Luke 9:3–5; Mark 6:8–11; Luke 10:4–12; 1 Corinthians 9:7–27
- 10 1 Timothy 5:17–18; Luke 10:7–12; 1 Corinthians 9:4–14; Galatians 6:6–7; Luke 3:11
- 11 Luke 10:7–8; Acts 18:1–3; 1 Kings 17:9–24; Job 31:32; Luke 10:38–42
- 12 Luke 10:5–6; 1 Samuel 25:6; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Acts 10:36; 3 John 14
- 13 Luke 10:6; Psalm 35:13; 2 Corinthians 2:16
- 14 Luke 10:10–11; Acts 18:6; Nehemiah 5:13; Acts 13:51; Mark 6:11
- 15 John 15:22–24; 2 Peter 2:6; Matthew 11:22–24; Luke 10:11–12; Ezekiel 16:48–56
- 16 Philippians 2:15; Luke 10:3; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Colossians 4:5; Ephesians 5:15–17
- 17 Mark 13:9; Matthew 23:34; Luke 12:11; Matthew 5:22; Acts 26:11
- 18 Acts 5:25–27; Psalm 2:1–6; Matthew 8:4; Acts 24:1–26; Mark 13:9
- 19 Exodus 4:12; Mark 13:11–13; 2 Timothy 4:17; Luke 12:11; Luke 21:12–17
- 20 Luke 21:15; Acts 6:10; 2 Samuel 23:2; Luke 12:12; 2 Peter 1:21
- 21 Luke 21:16–17; Micah 7:5–6; Mark 13:12–13; Matthew 24:10; Luke 12:51–53
- 22 Matthew 24:13; James 1:12; Revelation 2:10; Mark 13:13; Matthew 10:39
- 23 Matthew 16:28; John 11:53–54; Mark 13:26; Acts 17:10; Acts 8:1
- 24 John 15:20; Luke 6:40; John 13:16; Hebrews 12:2–4; 2 Samuel 11:11
- 25 Luke 11:15; Matthew 9:34; Matthew 12:24; John 7:20; Mark 3:22
- 26 Luke 8:17; Mark 4:22; Jeremiah 1:8; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Isaiah 43:1–2
- 27 Acts 5:20; John 16:13; John 16:1; Proverbs 1:20–23; Luke 8:10
- 28 Luke 12:4–5; Isaiah 8:12–13; Revelation 2:10; James 4:12; Romans 8:35–39
- 29 Luke 12:6–7; Psalm 104:27–30
- 30 Luke 12:7; 1 Samuel 14:45; Acts 27:34; Luke 21:18; 2 Samuel 14:11
- 31 Luke 12:24; Psalm 8:5; Matthew 6:26; Matthew 12:11–12; 1 Corinthians 9:9–10
- 32 Revelation 3:5; Luke 12:8–9; Romans 10:9–10; 1 John 4:15; 2 Timothy 1:8
- 33 2 Timothy 2:12; Luke 9:26; Luke 12:9; 1 John 2:23; 2 Peter 2:1
- 34 Luke 12:49–53; Acts 14:4; Acts 13:45–50; Acts 14:2; John 7:40–52
- 35 Micah 7:5–6; Matthew 10:21; Luke 21:16; Matthew 24:10; Mark 13:12
- 36 Micah 7:6; Jeremiah 12:6; Psalm 41:9; Genesis 4:8–10; Job 19:13–19
- 37 Luke 14:26; Matthew 22:37; Philippians 3:7–9; 2 Corinthians 5:14–15; Deuteronomy 33:9
- 38 Luke 14:27; Mark 8:34; Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23–24; John 19:17
- 39 John 12:25; Mark 8:35–36; Luke 17:33; Matthew 16:25–26; Luke 9:24
- 40 John 13:20; Luke 9:48; Luke 10:16; Matthew 18:5; Matthew 25:40
- 41 3 John 5–8; Hebrews 6:10; 2 Kings 4:16–17; 2 Kings 4:8–10; Luke 14:13–14
- 42 Hebrews 6:10; Matthew 25:40; Mark 9:41–42; 2 Corinthians 9:6–15; Matthew 18:10
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
When the Holy Gospel was read, Brethren, ye heard how our Lord Jesus Christ strengthened His Martyrs by His teaching, saying, "Behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves." Now consider, my Brethren, what he does.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Having made them feel confident about their necessary food, and opened unto them all men's houses, and having invested their entrance with an appearance to attract veneration, charging them not to come in as wanderers, and beggars, but as much more venerable than those who received them (for this He signifies by His saying, "the workman is worthy of his …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… our Master Jesus Christ said, that "what is impossible with men is possible with God," and, "Fear not them that kill you, and after that can do no more; but fear Him who after death is able to cast both soul and body into hell." And hell is a place where those are to be punished who have lived wickedly, …
"For there is nothing hidden which shall not be revealed, nor secret that shall not be made known."
But Thou, by whom the very hairs of our heads are numbered, didst use for my good the error of all who pressed me to learn; and my own error in willing not to learn, didst Thou make use of for my punishment--of which I, being so small a boy and so great a sinner, was not unworthy.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)