American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Matthew 10
1
And when he had called to 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.
Reference
2
Now 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;
Reference
Parallel theme
John 12:22
References John
Matthew 4:21
Luke 5:10
References Peter
Acts 1:13
Matthew 4:18
John 6:8
3
Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
Reference
People
5
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter you not:
Reference
7
And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Reference
Kingdom
Acts 28:31
Matthew 3:2
Matthew 4:17
Luke 9:60
Luke 16:16
Luke 9:2
Parallel theme
Isaiah 61:1
Mark 6:12
Acts 10:25
Acts 4:2
8
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give.
Reference
9
Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 22:35
10
Nor money for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
Reference
11
And into whatever city or town you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till you go there.
Reference
12
And when you come into an house, salute it.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 25:6
13
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come on it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Reference
Peace
Luke 10:6
14
And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Reference
15
Truly I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Reference
16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the middle of wolves: be you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Reference
17
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will whip you in their synagogues;
Reference
Parallel theme
Mark 13:9
Matthew 23:34
Acts 26:11
Matthew 5:22
John 16:2
Luke 12:11
Acts 22:19
Micah 7:5
18
And you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19
But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak.
Reference
20
For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 21:15
2 Corinthians 13:3
Spirit
Acts 6:10
2 Samuel 23:2
Luke 12:12
2 Peter 1:21
Acts 2:4
Acts 4:8
Acts 28:25
Acts 13:9
21
And 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.
Reference
22
And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.
Reference
Parallel theme
James 1:12
Revelation 2:10
Matthew 10:39
1 John 3:13
Matthew 24:9
Romans 2:7
Hebrews 6:11
John 17:14
Salvation
Matthew 24:13
Mark 13:13
23
But when they persecute you in this city, flee you into another: for truly I say to you, You shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Reference
25
It 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?
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 9:34
Matthew 12:24
John 7:20
Luke 11:15
Mark 3:22
John 8:48
John 8:52
John 10:20
26
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Reference
27
What I tell you in darkness, that speak you in light: and what you hear in the ear, that preach you on the housetops.
Reference
28
And 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.
Reference
29
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
32
Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Reference
33
But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Timothy 2:12
Luke 9:26
Luke 12:9
1 John 2:23
2 Peter 2:1
Mark 14:30
Mark 8:38
Mark 14:72
34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Reference
35
For 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.
Reference
37
He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Reference
39
He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.
Reference
41
He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 John 1:8
1 Corinthians 9:17
Matthew 16:27
Matthew 6:18
Romans 16:23
Matthew 6:6
Prophecy
Genesis 20:7
Righteousness
Hebrews 6:10
Summary of Matthew 10
Matthew 10 records Jesus commissioning the twelve apostles, giving them authority to heal, cast out demons, and proclaim that the kingdom of heaven has come near, thereby extending Jesus' own ministry through a carefully chosen group of representatives.
The chapter begins by naming the Twelve, whose symbolic number recalls the twelve tribes of Israel and establishes them as a foundational group within Jesus' kingdom mission.
Jesus initially sends them specifically to the lost sheep of Israel, instructing them to proclaim God's kingdom, heal the sick, cleanse the unclean, raise the dead, and drive out demons, while commanding them to give freely because the authority they have received is itself a gift.
Their mission is deliberately simple, because Jesus tells them not to accumulate money or excessive travel supplies but instead to depend upon God and the hospitality of those who receive them, making their ministry visibly different from an enterprise organized around personal financial gain.
Jesus also prepares them for rejection, explaining that some towns and households will refuse their message, and He instructs them to leave without allowing rejection to stop the mission.
The second major section becomes more urgent as Jesus warns that His followers will face persecution, arrests, interrogation, family division, hatred, and even death, making it clear that proclaiming God's kingdom is not a path guaranteed to produce social acceptance.
Jesus nevertheless tells them not to be paralyzed by fear, because God's Spirit will help them speak when they are brought before authorities, and because God values them deeply, knowing even the number of hairs on their heads.
The reference to sparrows reinforces this message of divine care, because if God notices the death of an inexpensive and seemingly insignificant bird, His disciples can trust that their own suffering and lives are not invisible to Him.
Jesus then addresses the possibility of family conflict, explaining that loyalty to Him must ultimately be greater than loyalty to parents, children, or other loved ones, not because family relationships are unimportant but because discipleship requires placing God's kingdom above every competing allegiance.
The command to take up the cross would have been especially powerful in the 1st-century Roman world, where crucifixion was a brutal and publicly visible form of execution used by Roman authorities, making the image a direct symbol of self-denial, suffering, rejection, and complete commitment.
Jesus concludes by assuring His disciples that those who welcome them are welcoming Him, and those who support even the smallest needs of His messengers, such as providing a cup of water, will not lose their reward.
The central message is that Matthew 10 presents discipleship as participation in Jesus' mission, requiring faithful proclamation, dependence upon God, courage in persecution, discernment in relationships, willingness to sacrifice, and confidence that God sees and values every act of faithful service.
The chapter ultimately teaches that following Jesus is not merely accepting His message privately but becoming part of His mission publicly, even when that mission produces rejection or suffering, because the disciple who remains faithful through difficulty can trust that God knows their sacrifice, sustains their witness, and values even the smallest act performed in His name.
The chapter begins by naming the Twelve, whose symbolic number recalls the twelve tribes of Israel and establishes them as a foundational group within Jesus' kingdom mission.
Jesus initially sends them specifically to the lost sheep of Israel, instructing them to proclaim God's kingdom, heal the sick, cleanse the unclean, raise the dead, and drive out demons, while commanding them to give freely because the authority they have received is itself a gift.
Their mission is deliberately simple, because Jesus tells them not to accumulate money or excessive travel supplies but instead to depend upon God and the hospitality of those who receive them, making their ministry visibly different from an enterprise organized around personal financial gain.
Jesus also prepares them for rejection, explaining that some towns and households will refuse their message, and He instructs them to leave without allowing rejection to stop the mission.
The second major section becomes more urgent as Jesus warns that His followers will face persecution, arrests, interrogation, family division, hatred, and even death, making it clear that proclaiming God's kingdom is not a path guaranteed to produce social acceptance.
Jesus nevertheless tells them not to be paralyzed by fear, because God's Spirit will help them speak when they are brought before authorities, and because God values them deeply, knowing even the number of hairs on their heads.
The reference to sparrows reinforces this message of divine care, because if God notices the death of an inexpensive and seemingly insignificant bird, His disciples can trust that their own suffering and lives are not invisible to Him.
Jesus then addresses the possibility of family conflict, explaining that loyalty to Him must ultimately be greater than loyalty to parents, children, or other loved ones, not because family relationships are unimportant but because discipleship requires placing God's kingdom above every competing allegiance.
The command to take up the cross would have been especially powerful in the 1st-century Roman world, where crucifixion was a brutal and publicly visible form of execution used by Roman authorities, making the image a direct symbol of self-denial, suffering, rejection, and complete commitment.
Jesus concludes by assuring His disciples that those who welcome them are welcoming Him, and those who support even the smallest needs of His messengers, such as providing a cup of water, will not lose their reward.
The central message is that Matthew 10 presents discipleship as participation in Jesus' mission, requiring faithful proclamation, dependence upon God, courage in persecution, discernment in relationships, willingness to sacrifice, and confidence that God sees and values every act of faithful service.
The chapter ultimately teaches that following Jesus is not merely accepting His message privately but becoming part of His mission publicly, even when that mission produces rejection or suffering, because the disciple who remains faithful through difficulty can trust that God knows their sacrifice, sustains their witness, and values even the smallest act performed in His name.