1AND he called his twelve disciples, and gave them power over the unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and sickness.

2The names of the twelve apostles are these: The first of them 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 publican, James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus surnamed Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot, and Judas of Iscariot, who betrayed him.

5These twelve Jesus sent out, and charged them and said, Keep away from pagan practices, and do not enter a Samaritan city; 6But above all, go to the sheep which are lost from the house of Israel. 7And as you go, preach and say, that the kingdom of heaven is near. 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you have received, freely give. 9Do not accumulate gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; 10Nor a bag for the journey, nor two shirts and shoes, nor a staff; for a laborer is at least worthy of his food. 11Whatever city or town you enter, ask who is trustworthy in it, and remain there until you leave. 12And when you enter into the house, salute the family. 13And if the family is trustworthy, your salutation of peace shall come upon it; but if it is not trustworthy, your salutation shall return to you. 14Whoever will not welcome you, and will not listen to your words, when you leave the house or the village, shake off the sand from your feet. 15Truly I say to you, that it will be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that city.

16Behold, I am sending you like lambs among the wolves; therefore be wise as serpents, and pure as doves. 17But be careful of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18And they will bring you before the presence of governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they deliver you up, do not worry as to how or what you will speak; for it will be given to you in that very hour what you are to speak. 20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father, which speaks through you.

21Brother will deliver up his own brother to death, and father his son; and children will rise up against their parents and put them to death. 22And you will be hated by everybody because of my name; but he who endures until the end shall live.

23When they persecute you in this city, escape to another; for truly I say to you, that you shall not finish converting all the cities of the house of Israel, until the Son of man returns.

24No disciple is more important than his teacher, and no servant than his master. 25It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and for a servant to be like his master. If then, they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household.

26Therefore do not be afraid of them; for there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, and hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the dark, tell it in the daylight; and what you hear with your ears, preach on the house tops. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but who cannot kill the soul; but above all, be afraid of him who can destroy both the soul and the body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall on the ground without your Father’s will. 30But so far as you are concerned, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Therefore fear not; you are much more important than many sparrows.

32Everyone therefore who will acknowledge me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever will deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.

34Do not expect that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have 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 the members of his own household.

37Whoever 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. 38And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39He who is concerned about his life shall lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it.

40Whoever receives you, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives him who sent me. 41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42Anyone who gives a drink to one of these little ones, if only a cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall never lose his reward.