Matthew 10

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, his close followers, to come to him. He gave them power over evil spirits, so they could send them out of people. He gave them power to heal every kind of sickness.

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;

2Here are the names of the twelve apostles, the men Jesus sent out with a job to do. First, Simon, who is also called Peter, and his brother Andrew. Then James, the son of Zebedee, and James's brother John.

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

3Then Philip and Bartholomew. Then Thomas, and Matthew, who used to collect taxes. Then James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus.

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

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

NoteThe KJV calls him "Simon the Canaanite," but the word is not about the land of Canaan. It comes from a word meaning zealous, so newer Bibles say "Simon the Zealot."

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 men out. He told them, "Do not go on the roads of the Gentiles, who are people who are not Jewish. Do not go into 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, God's own people.

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

7As you go, tell people this news: 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. Raise dead people back to life. Make people with leprosy, a bad skin sickness, well again. Send evil spirits out of people. You got all this for free. So give it away for free.

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

9Do not take any gold or silver or copper coins with you.

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

10Do not take a bag for the trip. Do not take an extra shirt, or sandals, or a walking stick. A worker should be given the food he needs.

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

11When you go into a town or village, find out who there is a good person. Stay at that person's house until you leave the town.

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

12When you go into the house, say hello to 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 home is a good one, let your peace stay 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.

14Some people will not welcome you or listen to your words. When you leave that house or town, shake the dust off 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.

15I tell you the truth. On the day God judges everyone, it will be easier for the land of 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.

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. They will whip you in their synagogues, the places where Jewish people meet to worship.

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

18Because you belong to me, you will be taken to stand before governors and kings. There you will tell them and the other nations about me.

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 what to say or how to say it. When that 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 speak 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.

21A brother will hand over his brother to be killed. A father will do this to his child. 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 you belong to 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 people hurt you in one town, run to the next town. I tell you the truth. You will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Son of Man is the name Jesus used for himself.

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

24A student is not greater than his teacher. 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 a student to become like his teacher, and a servant like his master. People have called the head of the house Beelzebub. So they will say even worse about the people who live with him.

NoteBeelzebub was a name people used for the ruler of the evil spirits. Calling someone Beelzebub was an insult.

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. Everything that is covered up will be uncovered. Everything hidden will 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. They cannot kill your soul. Be afraid instead of 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 cost only a farthing, a tiny coin. Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing.

NoteA farthing was a small copper coin worth very little, about an hour of a poor worker's pay or less.

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

30God has even counted every hair on your head.

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

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

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

32If you tell people that you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you belong to me.

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

33But if you tell people that you do not know me, I will tell my Father in heaven that I do not know you.

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. I came to bring 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 have come to turn a man against his father. I have come to turn a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her husband's mother.

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

36A man's enemies will be the people in his own house.

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.

37Whoever loves his father or mother more than me does not belong to me. Whoever loves his son or daughter more than me does not belong to me.

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

38Whoever will not pick up his cross and come with me does not belong to me.

NoteA cross was a heavy wooden beam. The Romans used it to put people to death, and the person had to carry it to the place where he would die.

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

39Whoever holds tight to his own 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 is welcoming me. Whoever welcomes me is welcoming 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 gets a prophet's reward. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says. Whoever welcomes a good man because he is good gets 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.

42Someone may give even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones. If he does it because that person follows me, I tell you the truth: he will not lose his reward."