But take heed to yourselves
This does not so much regard their doctrine and conversation, they were to take heed to; in which sense this phrase is sometimes used; but the security of their persons and lives; and the advice is, to take care of them selves, as much as in them lay, how they came into the hands of the persecuting Jews, and exposed themselves to danger, when at any time it could be avoided:
for they shall deliver you up to councils;
their greater and lesser sanhedrim; the one consisting of seventy one persons, the other of twenty three, and the least of three only; and before the greater of these, Peter and John were brought, quickly, after the ascension of Christ:
and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten;
with forty stripes, save one, as the Apostle Paul was, five, times:
and ye shall be brought before rulers;
governors of Roman provinces, as the same apostle was, before Gallio, Festus, and Felix:
and kings for my sake;
for the sake of professing Christ, and preaching his Gospel; as some of the apostles were, before Herod, Agrippa, Nero, Domitian, and others:
for a testimony against them:
both against the rulers and kings before whom they should be brought, and bear a testimony for Christ, and against the Jews, who should bring them thither; (See Gill on Matthew 10:17), (See Gill on Matthew 10:18).