And he calleth unto him his twelve disciples, and began to send them
forth by two and two; and he gave them power and authority over
unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease
and all manner of sickness.
And he charged them, saying, "Go not into any way of the Gentiles, and
enter not into any city of the Samaritans: but go rather to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, 'The
kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse
the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give.
"Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses. Take nothing
for your journey, save a staff only; no bread, no wallet; neither have
two coats, nor shoes, but go shod with sandals: for the laborer is
worthy of his food. And into whatsoever city or village ye shall
enter, search out who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go
forth. And as ye enter into the house, salute it. And if the house be
worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your
peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear
your words, as ye go forth out of that house or that city, shake off
the dust from your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say
unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and
Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye
therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men:
for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they
will scourge you; yea and before governors and kings shall ye be
brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But
when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak:
for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is
not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.
And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his
child: and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to
be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men, for my name's sake:
but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. But when
they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say
unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till
the Son of man be come.
"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. It
is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant
as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub,
how much more them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for
there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that
shall not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the
light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the house-tops. And
be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the
soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? and not one of them shall
fall on the ground without your Father: but the very hairs of your
head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than
many sparrows. Every one therefore who shall confess me before men,
him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But
whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my
Father who is in heaven.
"I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what do I desire, if it is
already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am
I straitened till it be accomplished!
"Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send
peace, but a sword. For there shall be from henceforth five in one
house divided, three against two, and two against three. For I came 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: and a man's
foes shall be they of his own household. He 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. And he that doth not take
his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth
his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall
find it.
"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me
receiveth him that sent me. He 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. And 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."
And they departed, and went throughout the villages, preaching the
gospel, and healing everywhere.
And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were
sick, and healed them.
And Jesus departed thence to teach and preach. And wheresoever he
entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid
the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that they might touch
if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him
were made whole.
At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus,
and said unto his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen
from the dead; and therefore do these powers work in him."
But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet,
even as one of the prophets."
But Herod, when he heard thereof, said, "John, whom I beheaded, he is
risen."
And he sought to see him.