Matthew

And 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.

1Jesus called his twelve disciples to him. He gave them power over evil spirits, so they could drive them out, and power to heal every kind of sickness and 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;

2These are the names of the twelve apostles. First, Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew. Then James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.

3Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

3Philip and Bartholomew. Thomas and Matthew the tax collector. James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus.

Note"Publican" meant a tax collector, a person who collected money for the Romans. Many people hated them.

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

4Simon, called the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who later handed Jesus over to his enemies.

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:

5Jesus sent these twelve out with these orders: "Do not go down the road to the people who are not Jews, and do not enter any town of the Samaritans.

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

6Go instead to the lost sheep of Israel.

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

7As you go, tell people this: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'

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

8Heal sick people. Make people with skin diseases clean. Raise dead people to life. Drive out demons. You were given all this for free, so give it for free.

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

9Do not pack gold or silver or copper coins in your belts.

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

10Take no bag for the trip, no extra shirt, no extra sandals, and no walking stick. A worker has a right to be fed.

Note"Meat" in 1611 English meant food of any kind, not just meat from animals. And "scrip" was a traveler's bag.

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

11In any town or village you enter, find out who there is a good person to stay with. Stay at that house until you leave town.

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

12When you go into the house, greet the people there.

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

13If the house is worthy, let your peace rest on it. If it is not, let your peace come back 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.

14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to what you say, then shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or town.

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.

15I tell you the truth: on the day of judgment it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

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

16Listen. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as clever as snakes and as gentle as doves.

Note"Harmless" here means innocent, doing no harm to anyone, not weak or helpless.

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

17But watch out for people. They will hand you over to their courts and whip you in their meeting places.

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

18Because of me, you will be dragged in front of governors and kings. There you will speak the truth to them and to people who are not Jews.

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.

19When they hand you over, do not worry about how to answer or what to say. When the moment comes, you will be given the words.

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

20The words will not really be yours. The Spirit of your Father will be speaking through 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.

21Brothers will hand over brothers to be killed, and fathers will do it to their children. Children will turn against their parents and have them 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.

22Everyone will hate you because of me. But the one who keeps going to the end will 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.

23When they hurt you in one town, run to the next. I tell you the truth: you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

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

24A student is not greater than his teacher, and a servant is not greater than his master.

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?

25It is enough for the student to become like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they called the head of the house Beelzebub, they will say much worse about the rest of his household.

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

26So do not be afraid of them. Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing is hidden that will not be made 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.

27What I tell you in the dark, say out loud in the daylight. What you hear whispered, shout from the rooftops.

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.

28Do not be afraid of people who can kill your body but cannot kill your soul. Instead, fear the One who can 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.

29Two sparrows are sold for one small coin, aren't they? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing.

NoteA "farthing" was a small copper coin worth very little. Two sparrows cost less than an hour's pay.

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

30And even the hairs on your head are all counted.

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

31So do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

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

32Anyone who says in front of others that he belongs to me, I will say the same about him in front of my Father in heaven.

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

33But anyone who says in front of others that he does not know me, I will say the same about him in front of my Father in heaven.

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

34Do not think I came to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring 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.

35I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a son's wife against his mother.

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

36A person's enemies will be the members of his own family.

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.

37Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves his 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.

38And anyone who does not pick up his cross and follow 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.

39Whoever holds on to his life will lose it. Whoever gives up his life for me will find it.

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

40Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the One who 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.

41Whoever welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will get a prophet's reward. Whoever welcomes a good man because he is a good man will get a good 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.

42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he follows me, I tell you the truth, that person will not lose his reward."