10:16 “I 14 am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, 15 so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 10:17 Beware 16 of people, because they will hand you over to councils 17 and flog 18 you in their synagogues. 19 10:18 And you will be brought before governors and kings 20 because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles. 10:19 Whenever 21 they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, 22 for what you should say will be given to you at that time. 23 10:20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
10:21 “Brother 24 will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against 25 parents and have them put to death. 10:22 And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 10:23 Whenever 26 they persecute you in one place, 27 flee to another. I tell you the truth, 28 you will not finish going through all the towns 29 of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
10:24 “A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave 30 greater than his master. 10:25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!
10:26 “Do 31 not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden 32 that will not be revealed, 33 and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 10:27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, 34 proclaim from the housetops. 35 10:28 Do 36 not be afraid of those who kill the body 37 but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 38 10:29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? 39 Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 40 10:30 Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. 10:31 So do not be afraid; 41 you are more valuable than many sparrows.
10:32 “Whoever, then, acknowledges 42 me before people, I will acknowledge 43 before my Father in heaven. 10:33 But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven.
10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring 44 peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. 10:35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 10:36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. 45
10:37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 10:38 And whoever does not take up his cross 46 and follow me is not worthy of me. 10:39 Whoever finds his life 47 will lose it, 48 and whoever loses his life because of me 49 will find it.
10:40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 50 10:41 Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoever 51 receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 10:42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, 52 he will never lose his reward.”