1So summoning His twelve disciples He gave them authority over unclean spirits so as to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every illness.

2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first Simon (the one called Peter) and Andrew his brother, James (the son of Zebedee) and John his brother,

3Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew (the tax collector), ¹⁴⁵James (the son of Alphaeus) and Lebbaeus (who was surnamed ¹⁴⁶Thaddeus),

4Simon (the Canaanite) and Judas Iscariot (who also betrayed Him).

Orientation with immediate effect

5These twelve Jesus sent out, ¹⁴⁷and commanded them saying: “Do not go off into the road of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.

6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ¹⁴⁸

7And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has come near.’

8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. ¹⁴⁹You have received free of charge, give free of charge. ¹⁵⁰

9Do not provide gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts,

10nor a knapsack for the road, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; ¹⁵¹because the worker is worthy of his food.

11“In whatever city or village you may enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go out.

12Upon entering the house, greet it;

13and should the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but should it not be worthy, let your peace return to you.

14And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, as you go out from that house or city shake off the dust from your feet. ¹⁵²

15Assuredly 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!

Orientation with prophetic effect

16“Now then, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be prudent like snakes and innocent like doves.

17But beware of the people, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues.

18And you will be brought before governors and even kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the nations.

19But whenever they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you will speak, for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ¹⁵³

20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. ¹⁵⁴

Like master, like slave

21“Furthermore, brother will hand over brother to death, and a father a child, and children will rise up against parents and put them to death.

22And you will be hated by all for my name's sake; ¹⁵⁵but the one enduring to the end, he will be delivered.

23But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to another. ¹⁵⁶For assuredly I say to you, you will certainly not go through all the cities of Israel before the Son of the Man comes. ¹⁵⁷

24A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.

25It is enough for a disciple that he become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. ¹⁵⁸Since they have stigmatized ¹⁵⁹the master of the house as Beelzebul, ¹⁶⁰how much more those of his household!

26So do not fear them; because there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and secret that will not be known.

“Do not be afraid”

27“What I tell you in the dark, say in the light; and what you hear in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. ¹⁶¹

28And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell. ¹⁶²

29Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father's will.

30Why even the hairs of your head are all numbered!

31Therefore do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Jesus demands total commitment

32“Now then, everyone who will confess me before the people, I will also confess him before my Father who is in the heavens.

33But whoever should deny me before the people, I will also deny him before my Father who is in the heavens. ¹⁶³

34“Do not suppose that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36and a man's enemies will be those of his own household.

37“The one who is more devoted to father or mother than to me is not worthy of me, and the one who is more devoted to son or daughter than to me is not worthy of me;

38and he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. ¹⁶⁴

39The one ‘finding’ his life will lose it, and the one ‘losing’ his life for my sake will find it. ¹⁶⁵

40“The one receiving you receives me, and the one receiving me receives the One who sent me.

41The one receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, ¹⁶⁶and the one receiving a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.

42And whoever should give so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, in the name of a disciple, assuredly I say to you, he will certainly not lose his reward.” ¹⁶⁷