Matthew 10:16-23

A Hard Road before Them

16 "¹Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be ²shrewd as serpents and ³innocent as doves.

17 "But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the ⁴courts and scourge you ⁵in their synagogues;

18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

19 "⁶But when they hand you over, ⁷do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.

20 "For ⁸it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

21 "⁹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and ¹⁰children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

22 "¹¹You will be hated by all because of My name, but ¹²it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

23 "But whenever they ¹³persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel ¹⁴until the Son of Man comes.

Cross References

• 1. Luke 10:3
• 2. Genesis 3:1; Matthew 24:25; Romans 16:19
• 3. Hosea 7:11
• 4. Matthew 5:22
• 5. Matthew 23:34; Mark 13:9; Luke 12:11; Acts 5:40; Acts 22:19; Acts 26:11
• 6. Matthew 10:19-22: {Mark 13:11-13; Luke 21:12-17}
• 7. Matthew 6:25; Luke 12:11, 12
• 8. Luke 12:12; Acts 4:8; Acts 13:9; 2 Corinthians 13:3
• 9. Matthew 10:35, 36; Mark 13:12
• 10. Micah 7:6
• 11. Matthew 24:9; Luke 21:17; John 15:18f
• 12. Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13
• 13. Matthew 23:34
• 14. Matthew 16:27

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "show yourselves to be"
• [b]. Lit "put them to death"
• [c]. Lit "this"
• [d]. Lit "the other"