1 And having called His twelve disciples to Himself, He gave to them power over unclean spirits, so as to be casting them out, and to be healing every disease and every sickness. 2 And of the twelve apostles the names are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James of Alpheus, and Lebbeus who was surnamed Thaddeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also delivered Him up. 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, having given command to them, saying, “Do not go away to the way of the nations, and do not go into a city of the Samaritans, 6 and be going rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And going on, proclaim, saying that the kingdom of the heavens has come near; 8 be healing [those] ailing, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, casting out demons—freely you received, freely give. 9 Do not provide gold, nor silver, nor brass in your girdles, 10 nor leather pouch for the way, nor two coats, nor sandals, nor staff—for the workman is worthy of his nourishment. 11 And into whatever city or village you may enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and abide there, until you may go forth. 12 And coming into the house greet it, 13 and if indeed the house is worthy, let your peace come on it; and if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever may not receive you nor hear your words, coming forth from that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet, 15 truly I say to 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 forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, therefore be wise as the serpents, and pure as the doves. 17 And take heed of men, for they will give you up to Sanhedrins, and in their synagogues they will scourge you, 18 and before governors and kings you will be brought for My sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. 19 And whenever they may deliver you up, do not be anxious how or what you may speak, for it will be given you in that hour what you will speak; 20 for you are not the speakers, but the Spirit of your Father that is speaking in you. 21 And brother will deliver up brother to death, and father child, and children will rise up against parents, and will put them to death, 22 and you will be hated by all because of My Name, but he who has endured to the end, he will be saved. 23 And whenever they may persecute you in this city, flee to the other, for truly I say to you, you may not have finished [going through] the cities of Israel until the Son of Man may come. 24 A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his lord; 25 sufficient to the disciple that he may be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord; if the master of the house they called Beelzebul, how much more those of his household? 26 You may not, therefore, fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hid that will not be known; 27 that which I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light, and that which you hear at the ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those killing the body, and are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion? And one of them will not fall on the ground without your Father; 30 and of you—even the hairs of the head are all numbered; 31 therefore, do not be afraid, you are better than many sparrows. 32 Everyone, therefore, who will confess in Me before men, I also will confess in him before My Father who is in the heavens; 33 and whoever will deny Me before men, I also will deny him before My Father who is in the heavens. 34 You may not suppose that I came to put peace on the earth; I did not come to put peace, but a sword; 35 for I came to set a man at variance against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 36 and the enemies of a man are those of his household. 37 He who is cherishing father or mother above Me, is not worthy of Me, and he who is cherishing son or daughter above Me, is not worthy of Me, 38 and whoever does not receive his cross and follow after Me, is not worthy of Me. 39 He who found his life will lose it, and he who lost his life for My sake will find it. 40 He who is receiving you receives Me, and he who is receiving Me receives Him who sent Me; 41 he who is receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet, will receive a prophet’s reward, and he who is receiving a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, will receive a righteous man’s reward, 42 and whoever may give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he may not lose his reward.”
Matthew · Literal Standard Version
Matthew 10 Literal Standard Version
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
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
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)