Delete me

1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Himself, He gave them authority against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 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; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out, and commanded them, saying, “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans. 6 But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two coats, neither sandals, nor staffs; because a worker is worthy of his food. 11 “Now whatever city or town you go into, inquire who is worthy in it, and abide there until you go from it. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 And if the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever shall not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! 16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, because, they will deliver you up to councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues. 18 And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you shall speak. Because, it will be given to you in that same hour what you shall speak; 20 because it is not you who is speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and the children will rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all people for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in one city, flee to another. Because, truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, before the Son of Man comes. 24 “The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant as his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household? 26 Therefore do not fear them. Because, there is nothing covered, that will not be revealed, and hidden, that will not be known. 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, that speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, that preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather reverence Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 Because, I have come to ‘divide a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother in law,’ 36 and ‘a man’s enemies shall be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take up his cross, and follow after Me, is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. 40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”