The Twelve Apostles
(Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16)

1And having summoned His twelve disciples, He gave to them authority over unclean spirits, so as to cast them out and to heal every disease and every sickness.

2And these are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; and James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one also having betrayed Him.

The Ministry of the Twelve
(Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6)

5These twelve, Jesus sent forth, having instructed them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles and do not enter into any city of the Samaritans. 6But go rather to those being the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And going on, proclaim, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near!’ 8Heal the ailing, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers,a cast out demons! Freely you received; freely give.

9Take along neither gold nor silver nor copper in your belts, 10nor provision-bag for the way, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the workman is worthy of his provisions.

11And into whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it. Remain there until you go forth. 12And entering into the house, greet it. 13And if indeed the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14And whoever will not receive you nor will hear your words, shake off the dust of your feet going forth out of that house or that city! 15Truly I say to you, on the day of judgment, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and of Gomorrah than for that city.

Sheep among Wolves
(2 Timothy 1:6-12)

16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17But beware of men; for they will deliver you into the courts and they will flog you in their synagogues. 18And you will be brought also before governors and kings on account of Me, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19And when they deliver you up, do not be anxious how or what you should speak; for in that hour you will be given what you should say, 20for you are not those speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21And brother will deliver up brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise up against parents and will put them to death. 22And you will be hated by all on account of My name; but the one having endured to the end, he will be saved.

23And whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next. For truly I say to you, you shall not have completed the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

24A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is sufficient for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the master of the house they called Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

Fear God Alone
(Luke 12:4-7)

26Therefore you should not fear them! For nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops!

28And you should not be afraid of those killing the body but not being able to kill the soul. Indeed rather you should fear the One being able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

29Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion?b And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30And even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Therefore you should not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Confessing Christ
(Luke 12:8-12)

32Therefore everyone who will confess in Me before men, I also will confess in him before My Father in the heavens. 33And whoever shall deny Me before men, I also will deny him before My Father in the heavens.

The Sword of the Gospel
(Luke 12:49-53)

34Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth; I came not to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I came to set at variance

‘A man against his father,

and a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,

36and the enemies of the man are his own household.’c

Take up Your Cross
(Matthew 16:24-28; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:23-27)

37The one loving father or mother above Me is not worthy of Me, and the one loving son or daughter above Me is not worthy of Me. 38And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39The one having found his life will lose it, and the one having lost his life on account of Me will find it.

The Reward of Service
(2 Kings 4:8-17)

40The One receiving you receives Me, and the one receiving Me receives the One having sent Me. 41The one receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive the reward of a prophet, and the one receiving a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive the reward of a righteous man. 42And whoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall certainly not lose his reward.”