According to Matthew 10:1-42

10  So he summoned his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits,+ in order to expel these and to cure every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity. 2  The names of the 12 apostles are these:+ First, Simon, the one called Peter,+ and Andrew+ his brother; James the son of Zebʹe·dee and John+ his brother; 3  Philip and Bar·tholʹo·mew;+ Thomas+ and Matthew+ the tax collector; James the son of Al·phaeʹus; and Thad·daeʹus; 4  Simon the Ca·na·naeʹan; and Judas Is·carʹi·ot, who later betrayed him.+ 5  These 12 Jesus sent out, giving them these instructions:+ “Do not go off into the road of the nations, and do not enter any Sa·marʹi·tan city;+ 6  but instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.+ 7  As you go, preach, saying: ‘The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’+ 8  Cure the sick,+ raise up the dead, make lepers clean, expel demons. You received free, give free.+ 9  Do not acquire gold or silver or copper for your money belts,+ 10  or a food pouch for the trip, or two garments,* or sandals, or a staff,+ for the worker deserves his food.+ 11  “Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving, and stay there until you leave.+ 12  When you enter the house, greet the household. 13  If the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it;+ but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you. 14  Wherever anyone does not receive you or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.+ 15  Truly I say to you, it will be more endurable for the land of Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah+ on Judgment Day than for that city. 16  “Look! I am sending you out as sheep among wolves;+ so prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.+ 17  Be on your guard against men, for they will hand you over to local courts+ and they will scourge you+ in their synagogues.+ 18  And you will be brought before governors and kings+ for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations.+ 19  However, when they hand you over, do not become anxious about how or what you are to speak, for what you are to speak will be given you in that hour;+ 20  for the ones speaking are not just you, but it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you.+ 21  Further, brother will hand brother over to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and will have them put to death.+ 22  And you will be hated by all people on account of my name,+ but the one who has endured* to the end will be saved.+ 23  When they persecute you in one city, flee to another;+ for truly I say to you, you will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives. 24  “A student is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.+ 25  It is enough for the student to become as his teacher, and the slave as his master.+ If people have called the master of the house Be·elʹze·bub,+ how much more those of his household? 26  So do not fear them, for there is nothing covered over that will not become uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.+ 27  What I tell you in the darkness, say in the light, and what you hear whispered,* preach from the housetops.+ 28  And do not become fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;+ rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Ge·henʹna.+ 29  Two sparrows sell for a coin of small value, do they not? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.+ 30  But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.+ 31  So have no fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.+ 32  “Everyone, then, who acknowledges me before men,+ I will also acknowledge him before my Father who is in the heavens.+ 33  But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my Father who is in the heavens.+ 34  Do not think I came to bring peace to the earth; I came to bring, not peace, but a sword.+ 35  For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.+ 36  Indeed, a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37  Whoever has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and whoever has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me.+ 38  And whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me.+ 39  Whoever finds his soul will lose it, and whoever loses his soul for my sake will find it.+ 40  “Whoever receives you receives me also, and whoever receives me receives also the One who sent me.+ 41  Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will get a prophet’s reward,+ and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will get a righteous man’s reward. 42  And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I tell you truly, he will by no means lose his reward.”+

Footnotes

Or “an extra garment.”
Or “who endures.”
Lit., “hear in (into) the ear.”

Study Notes

apostles: Or “sent ones.” The Greek word a·poʹsto·los is derived from the verb a·po·stelʹlo, meaning “to send away (out).” (Mt 10:5; Lu 11:49; 14:32) Its basic meaning is clearly illustrated in Jesus’ statement at Joh 13:16, where it is rendered “one who is sent.”

Simon, the one called Peter: Peter is named in five different ways in the Scriptures: (1) the Greek form “Symeon,” which closely reflects the Hebrew form of the name (Simeon); (2) the Greek “Simon” (both Symeon and Simon come from a Hebrew verb meaning “hear; listen”); (3) “Peter” (a Greek name that means “A Piece of Rock” and that he alone bears in the Scriptures); (4) “Cephas,” which is the Semitic equivalent of Peter (perhaps related to the Hebrew ke·phimʹ [rocks] used at Job 30:6; Jer 4:29); and (5) the combination “Simon Peter.”​—Ac 15:14; Joh 1:42; Mt 16:16.

Bartholomew: Meaning “Son of Tolmai.” He is thought to be the Nathanael mentioned by John. (Joh 1:45, 46) A comparison of the Gospels shows that Matthew and Luke link Bartholomew and Philip in the same way that John associates Nathanael with Philip.​—Mt 10:3; Lu 6:14.

Matthew: Also known as Levi.​—See study notes on Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27.

the tax collector: As a former tax collector, Matthew, the writer of this Gospel, makes numerous references to numbers and money values. (Mt 17:27; 26:15; 27:3) He is also more explicit with numbers. He broke up his genealogy of Jesus into three sets of 14 generations (Mt 1:1-17) and listed seven petitions in the Lord’s prayer (Mt 6:9-13), seven illustrations in Mt 13, and seven woes at Mt 23:13-36. As for the term “tax collector,” see study note on Mt 5:46.

James the son of Alphaeus: See study note on Mr 3:18.

Thaddaeus: In the listings of the apostles at Lu 6:16 and Ac 1:13, the name Thaddaeus is not included; instead, we find “Judas the son of James,” leading to the conclusion that Thaddaeus is another name for the apostle whom John calls “Judas, not Iscariot.” (Joh 14:22) The possibility of confusing this Judas with the traitor, Judas Iscariot, might be a reason why the name Thaddaeus is sometimes used.

the Cananaean: A designation distinguishing the apostle Simon from the apostle Simon Peter. (Mr 3:18) This term is thought to be of Hebrew or Aramaic origin, meaning “Zealot; Enthusiast.” Luke referred to this Simon as “the zealous one,” using the Greek word ze·lo·tesʹ, also meaning “zealot; enthusiast.” (Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13) While it is possible that Simon once belonged to the Zealots, a Jewish party opposed to the Romans, he may have been given this designation because of his zeal and enthusiasm.

Iscariot: Possibly meaning “Man From Kerioth.” Judas’ father, Simon, is also called “Iscariot.” (Joh 6:71) This term has commonly been understood to indicate that Simon and Judas were from the Judean town of Kerioth-hezron. (Jos 15:25) If this is so, Judas was the only Judean among the 12 apostles, the rest being Galileans.

preach: That is, make an open, public declaration.​—See study note on Mt 3:1.

The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near: See study note on Mt 4:17.

lepers: See study note on Mt 8:2 and Glossary, “Leprosy; Leper.”

stay there: See study note on Mr 6:10.

greet: A common Jewish greeting was: “May you have peace.”​—Jg 19:20; Mt 10:13; Lu 10:5.

shake the dust off your feet: This gesture would signify that the disciples disclaimed responsibility for the consequences that would come from God. A similar expression occurs at Mr 6:11 and Lu 9:5. Mark and Luke add the expression “for a witness to [or, “against”] them.” Paul and Barnabas applied this instruction in Pisidian Antioch (Ac 13:51), and when Paul did something similar in Corinth by shaking out his garments, he added the explanatory words: “Let your blood be on your own heads. I am clean.” (Ac 18:6) Such gestures may already have been familiar to the disciples; pious Jews who had traveled through Gentile country would shake what they perceived to be unclean dust off their sandals before reentering Jewish territory. However, Jesus evidently had a different meaning in mind when giving these instructions to his disciples.

Truly: See study note on Mt 5:18.

it will be more endurable for: See study note on Lu 10:12.

Look!: See study note on Mt 1:20.

cautious as serpents: To be cautious here means to be prudent, sensible, shrewd. Zoologists note that most snakes are wary, preferring to flee rather than attack. Likewise, Jesus warns his disciples to remain cautious toward opposers and avoid possible dangers as they carry out their preaching work.

yet innocent as doves: The two parts of Jesus’ admonition (to be cautious and to be innocent) complement each other. (See study note on cautious as serpents in this verse.) The Greek word rendered “innocent” (lit., “unmixed,” that is, “unspoiled; pure”) also occurs at Ro 16:19 (“innocent as to what is evil”) and Php 2:15 (“be blameless and innocent, children of God”). Here at Mt 10:16, being “innocent” apparently includes being genuine, honest, free of deceit and having pure motives. The dove is sometimes used in Hebrew word pictures and poetry to symbolize these and related qualities. (Ca 2:14; 5:2; compare study note on Mt 3:16.) Jesus’ point was that when his sheeplike followers faced persecution as sheep among wolves, they needed to combine the characteristics of serpents and doves by being cautious, shrewd, pure of heart, blameless, and innocent.​—Lu 10:3.

local courts: In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Greek word sy·neʹdri·on, here used in plural and rendered “local courts,” is most often used with reference to the Jewish high court in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin. (See Glossary, “Sanhedrin,” and study notes on Mt 5:22; 26:59.) However, it was also a general term for an assembly or a meeting, and here it refers to local courts that were attached to the synagogues and had the power to inflict the penalties of scourging and excommunication.​—Mt 23:34; Mr 13:9; Lu 21:12; Joh 9:22; 12:42; 16:2.

on account of my name: See study note on Mt 24:9.

has endured: Or “endures.”​—See study note on Mt 24:13.

Son of man: See study note on Mt 8:20.

Beelzebub: Possibly an alteration of Baal-zebub, meaning “Owner (Lord) of the Flies,” the Baal worshipped by the Philistines at Ekron. (2Ki 1:3) Some Greek manuscripts use the alternate forms Beelzeboul or Beezeboul, possibly meaning “Owner (Lord) of the Lofty Abode (Habitation)” or if a play on the non-Biblical Hebrew word zeʹvel (dung), “Owner (Lord) of the Dung.” As shown at Mt 12:24, this is a designation applied to Satan​—the prince, or ruler, of the demons.

how much more: See study note on Mt 7:11.

in the light: That is, openly, publicly.

preach from the housetops: An idiom with the meaning “to proclaim publicly.” In Bible times, houses had flat roofs from which announcements could be made and certain actions could become widely known.​—2Sa 16:22.

soul: Or “life,” that is, a person’s future life by means of a resurrection. The Greek word psy·kheʹ and its corresponding Hebrew word neʹphesh (both traditionally rendered “soul”) basically refer to (1) people, (2) animals, or (3) the life that a person or an animal has. (Ge 1:20; 2:7; Nu 31:28; 1Pe 3:20; ftns.) Examples of the use of the Greek psy·kheʹ to mean “life that a person has” may be found at Mt 6:25; 10:39; 16:25, 26; Mr 8:35-37; Lu 12:20; Joh 10:11, 15; 12:25; 13:37, 38; 15:13; Ac 20:10. Bible texts like these help to show the correct understanding of Jesus’ words here.​—See Glossary.

him who can destroy both soul and body: It is only God who is able to destroy a person’s “soul” (in this context, referring to his prospects for life) or who can resurrect him to enjoy everlasting life. This is one example of where the Greek word rendered “soul” is referred to as mortal and destructible. Other examples are Mr 3:4; Lu 17:33; Joh 12:25; Ac 3:23.

Gehenna: This means everlasting destruction.​—See study note on Mt 5:22 and Glossary.

sparrows: The Greek word strou·thiʹon is a diminutive form meaning any small bird, but it often referred to sparrows, the cheapest of all birds sold as food.

for a coin of small value: Lit., “for an assarion,” which was the wage a man earned for 45 minutes’ work. (See App. B14.) On this occasion, during his third Galilean tour, Jesus says that two sparrows cost an assarion. On another occasion, evidently about a year later during his ministry in Judea, Jesus says that five sparrows could be obtained for double this price. (Lu 12:6) Comparing these accounts, we learn that sparrows were of such little value to the merchants that the fifth one would be included free of charge.

even the hairs of your head are all numbered: The number of hairs on the human head is said to average more than 100,000. Jehovah’s intimate knowledge of such minute details guarantees that he is keenly interested in each follower of Christ.

accept: Lit., “take (up); take hold of.” Here used figuratively in the sense of taking on oneself the responsibilities and consequences connected with becoming a disciple of Jesus.

torture stake: Or “execution stake.” This is the first occurrence of the Greek word stau·rosʹ. In classical Greek, it primarily referred to an upright stake or pole. Used figuratively, it sometimes stood for the suffering, shame, torture, and even death that a person experienced because of being a follower of Jesus.​—See Glossary.

soul: Or “life.” See Glossary.

because he is a prophet: Lit., “in the name of a prophet.” In this context, the Greek idiom “in the name of” indicates a recognition of the office and work of a prophet.​—Compare study note on Mt 28:19.

a prophet’s reward: Those who accept and support true prophets from God will be richly rewarded. The account of the widow in 1Ki 17 is an example of this.

Media

Staff and Food Pouch
Staff and Food Pouch

Rods or staffs were common among the ancient Hebrews and were used in a variety of ways: for support (Ex 12:11; Zec 8:4; Heb 11:21), for defense or protection (2Sa 23:21), for threshing (Isa 28:27), and for reaping olives (De 24:20; Isa 24:13), to name just a few. A food pouch was a bag, usually made of leather, carried over the shoulder by travelers, shepherds, farmers, and others. It was used to hold food, clothing, and other items. When sending out his apostles on a preaching tour, Jesus gave them instructions regarding, among other things, staffs and food pouches. The apostles were to go as they were and not be distracted by procuring anything extra; Jehovah would provide for them.—See study notes on Lu 9:3 and 10:4 for a discussion of how the details of Jesus’ instructions were to be understood.

Wolf
Wolf

The wolves (Canis lupus) of Israel are primarily nighttime predators. (Hab 1:8) Wolves are fierce, voracious, bold, and greedy, frequently killing more sheep than they can eat or drag away. In the Bible, animals and their characteristics and habits are often applied in a figurative sense, picturing both desirable and undesirable traits. For example, in Jacob’s deathbed prophecy, the tribe of Benjamin is described figuratively as a fighter like a wolf. (Ge 49:27) But in most occurrences, the wolf is used to picture such undesirable qualities as ferocity, greed, viciousness, and craftiness. Those compared to wolves include false prophets (Mt 7:15), vicious opposers of the Christian ministry (Mt 10:16; Lu 10:3), and false teachers who would endanger the Christian congregation from within (Ac 20:29, 30). Shepherds were well-aware of the danger posed by wolves. Jesus spoke of “the hired man” who “sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees.” Unlike the hired man, who “does not care for the sheep,” Jesus is “the fine shepherd,” who surrendered “his life in behalf of the sheep.”—Joh 10:11-13.

Whip for Scourging
Whip for Scourging

The most terrible instrument for scourging was known as a flagellum. It consisted of a handle into which several cords or leather thongs were fixed. These thongs were weighted with jagged pieces of bone or metal to make the blows more painful.

Typical Flat-Roofed Houses
Typical Flat-Roofed Houses

The roof of a family home was a center of activity. A father might gather his household there to talk about Jehovah. During the Festival of Ingathering, for example, booths were erected on the rooftops. (Le 23:41, 42; De 16:13-15) Such chores as the drying of flax were done there. (Jos 2:6) Sometimes people slept on the roof. (1Sa 9:25, 26) Any activity on a roof would easily be seen by others. (2Sa 16:22) And an announcement made from a rooftop would quickly be heard by neighbors and those passing by on the street.

The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna)
The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna)

The Valley of Hinnom, called Gehenna in Greek, is a ravine to the south and southwest of ancient Jerusalem. In Jesus’ day, it was a place for the burning of refuse, making it a fitting symbol of complete destruction.

Sparrow
Sparrow

Sparrows were the cheapest of all birds sold as food. Two of them could be purchased with the amount a man earned working for 45 minutes. The Greek term could embrace a variety of small birds, including a common house sparrow (Passer domesticus biblicus) and the Spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis), which are still abundant in Israel.