1And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2The names of the twelve apostles are these: 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 tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them: »Do not go among the Gentiles, or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, 10nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the worker is worthy of his food. 11Now whatever village or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go out. 12As you enter the house, give it your greeting. 13And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15Truly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. 16»Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; 20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 22And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. For truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24»A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26»So do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32»Therefore whoever acknowledges me before men, him I will also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven. 34»Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come 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.’ 37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who 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. 41He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.«