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Matthew 10: The Twelve Sent Out

Jesus commissions twelve apostles, sending them to proclaim the kingdom and to fear God rather than men.

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Matthew 10 (WEB)

1 He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;

3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5 Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.

6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.

9 Don’t take any gold, nor silver, nor brass in your money belts.

10 Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.

11 Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on.

12 As you enter into the household, greet it.

13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet.

15 Most certainly I tell 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: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

18 Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.

19 But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.

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

21 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

26 Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.

27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.

28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

29 “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will,

30 but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

32 Everyone therefore who 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 “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36 A man’s foes will 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 isn’t worthy of me.

38 He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.

39 He who seeks 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. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

Summary

Jesus calls his twelve disciples and gives them authority over unclean spirits and every disease. He names the Twelve and sends them first to the lost sheep of Israel to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, to heal freely, and to travel without provisions, trusting that the laborer is worthy of his food. They are to bless worthy households and shake the dust from their feet where they are rejected. Jesus warns that they go as sheep among wolves and will be handed over to councils and rulers, yet the Spirit of their Father will speak through them. He urges them not to fear those who kill the body, for their Father numbers even the hairs of their heads. Whoever confesses Christ before men he will confess before the Father. Loyalty to Jesus must surpass family ties, and whoever loses his life for his sake will find it.

Main Characters

  • Jesus — The Lord who calls, empowers, and sends the Twelve, warning and reassuring them for the mission ahead.
  • The twelve apostles — Disciples named and sent with authority to preach the kingdom, heal the sick, and cast out demons.
  • Simon Peter — Listed first among the apostles sent out by Jesus.
  • Judas Iscariot — Named last among the Twelve, identified as the one who would betray Jesus.

Key Verse

Matthew 10:28 (WEB)

Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Lessons Learned

  • Jesus shares his own authority with his servants and sends them to proclaim the kingdom.
  • What we have freely received from God we are to give freely to others.
  • Following Christ may bring opposition, yet the Father's care is so complete that even our hairs are numbered.
  • Confessing Jesus before others, even at great cost, is worth more than family approval or life itself.
  • Freely received, freely give. Jesus tells the Twelve that what they have received as a gift they must pass on without charge (Matthew 10:8, WEB).
  • Be wise as serpents, harmless as doves. Sent out as sheep among wolves, the disciples are to combine shrewd caution with blameless innocence (Matthew 10:16, WEB).
  • Fear God, not those who kill the body. Jesus says not to fear those who can only kill the body, but to fear the One who holds soul and body (Matthew 10:28, WEB).
  • The Father numbers even your hairs. Not one sparrow falls apart from the Father's will, and the very hairs of our heads are counted, so we need not fear (Matthew 10:29-31, WEB).
  • Confess Christ before men. Whoever confesses Jesus before others he will confess before the Father, but whoever denies him he will deny (Matthew 10:32-33, WEB).
  • Lose your life to find it. The one who seeks to save his life loses it, while the one who loses it for Christ's sake finds it (Matthew 10:39, WEB).
  1. What authority and instructions does Jesus give the Twelve as he sends them out (Matthew 10:1, 7-10)?
  2. What kinds of opposition does Jesus warn the apostles to expect, and what comfort does he give alongside the warnings (Matthew 10:16-20)?
  3. How does Jesus picture the Father's care in verses 29-31, and why does this remove fear?
  4. What does it mean for you that loving Jesus must come even before father, mother, son, or daughter (Matthew 10:37-39)?
  5. Where are you tempted to deny or stay silent about Jesus before others, and what would it look like this week to confess him instead (Matthew 10:32-33)?
  1. Jesus gives them authority over unclean spirits and disease (Matthew 10:1) and sends them to preach that the kingdom is at hand, heal freely, and travel without gold or extra provisions, trusting that the laborer is worthy of his food (Matthew 10:7-10).
  2. He warns of councils, scourging, and being dragged before governors and kings (Matthew 10:17-18), yet promises that the Spirit of their Father will give them words in that hour, so they need not be anxious (Matthew 10:19-20).
  3. Jesus says two sparrows are sold cheaply, yet not one falls apart from the Father's will, and the hairs of our heads are numbered (Matthew 10:29-30). Since the Father watches over the smallest details, his children are of far more value and need not fear.
  4. This is a personal-application question. Help the group see Jesus is not against family but claims first place. Invite members to name where loyalty to Christ and to loved ones might conflict, and discuss honoring family while keeping Jesus first.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Create a safe space for honesty about fear of others' opinions. Encourage members to identify one specific relationship or setting and to name a concrete, gentle way to acknowledge Christ this week, then pray for courage together.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.