Matthew

Chapter 10

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Scripture

KJV

1And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The 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 publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

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

7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

11And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

12And when ye come into an house, salute it.

13And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

15Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

17But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

18And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

19But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

20For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

21And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

23But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

24The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

27What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

32Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

34Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Key VerseMatthew 10:39

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Overview

Jesus commissions His twelve apostles, giving them authority over unclean spirits and diseases, and sends them out to preach the kingdom of heaven to the lost sheep of Israel. He prepares them for persecution and rejection, instructs them to trust God for their provision, and warns that following Him will bring division even within families — yet assures them that whoever loses his life for His sake will find it.

Key Themes

1

The Authority of the Sent Ones

Jesus delegates His own authority to the twelve, empowering them to heal, cast out demons, and proclaim the kingdom — extending His ministry through ordinary men.

2

Fearless Witness in Persecution

Jesus promises that His followers will face hatred and betrayal but commands them not to fear those who kill the body, for the Father values them more than many sparrows.

3

The Cost and Reward of Discipleship

Following Jesus demands a loyalty that surpasses even family bonds, yet Jesus promises that anyone who receives His messengers receives Him and will not lose their reward.

Study Questions

1.

Why does Jesus initially limit the disciples' mission to 'the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' and what does this tell us about God's redemptive plan?

2.

How should Jesus' command to be 'wise as serpents, and harmless as doves' shape the way believers engage a hostile world?

3.

What comfort does Jesus offer in the statement 'the very hairs of your head are all numbered' when facing opposition for the gospel?

4.

What does Jesus mean when He says 'I came not to send peace, but a sword'?

5.

How does the promise that 'he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it' redefine what it means to truly live?

Connection to Christ

Jesus sends His disciples as extensions of His own mission and presence — to receive them is to receive Him, and to receive Him is to receive the Father. He prepares them for a cross-shaped life that mirrors His own: rejection, suffering, and self-denial that leads to resurrection and reward. Christ is both the sender and the message.

Personal Reflection

Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Matthew 10. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?

Matthew

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