Matthew 10:23-33

23 When they ¹persecute you in one town, ²flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel ³before the Son of Man comes.

24 ⁴“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant^[a] above his master.

25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. ⁵If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign^[b] those of his household.

Have No Fear

26 “So have no fear of them, ⁶for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on ⁷the housetops.

28 And ⁸do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him ⁹who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ^[c]

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? ^[d] And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

30 But ¹⁰even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Fear not, therefore; ¹¹you are of more value than many sparrows.

32 ¹²So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

33 but ¹³whoever denies me before men, ¹⁴I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Cross References

• 1. 10:23 ch. 23:34
• 2. 10:23 [ch. 12:15; Acts 8:1; 9:25, 30; 14:6; 17:10, 14]
• 3. 10:23 ch. 16:28
• 4. 10:24 Luke 6:40; John 13:16; 15:20; [Heb. 12:3]
• 5. 10:25 ch. 9:34; 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15; See John 7:20
• 6. 10:26 Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17; [1 Tim. 5:25]; For ver. 26-33, see Luke 12:2-9
• 7. 10:27 See Luke 5:19
• 8. 10:28 Isa. 8:12, 13; 51:12, 13; Jer. 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:14
• 9. 10:28 James 4:12
• 10. 10:30 See 1 Sam. 14:45
• 11. 10:31 ch. 6:26; 12:12
• 12. 10:32 [Rom. 10:9, 10; Heb. 10:35; Rev. 3:5]
• 13. 10:33 2 Tim. 2:12; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 2:23; [Mark 8:38]
• 14. 10:33 ch. 7:23; 25:12; Luke 13:25

Footnotes

• [a] 10:24 Greek 'bondservant'; also verse 25
• [b] 10:25 Greek lacks 'will they malign'
• [c] 10:28 Greek 'Gehenna'
• [d] 10:29 Greek 'assarion', Roman copper coin (Latin 'quadrans') worth about 1/16 of a 'denarius' (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)