CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Matthew 10
Chapter 10 of 28
Chapter Overview
What happens in Matthew 10
Jesus commissions his twelve apostles for their first mission, giving them authority over demons and disease and sending them to the lost sheep of Israel. He prepares them for both the opportunities and the opposition they will face, offering instructions on dependence, perseverance, and fearless witness.
Scripture
Matthew 10
The Twelve Apostles Named and Commissioned
Study note
Jesus empowers his twelve chosen disciples with authority to heal and cast out demons, then sends them specifically to Israel with the message that the kingdom of heaven is near. The detailed instructions about traveling light and depending on others' hospitality teach radical trust in God's provision. The warning about towns that reject them underscores the seriousness of refusing the kingdom message.
1 Jesus brought his twelve closest followers together. He gave them the authority to force out evil spirits and to heal every type of sickness and disease. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Here are the names of those twelve apostles: first there was Simon (also called Peter) and his brother Andrew. Then James and John, who were sons of Zebedee. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Next came Philip and Bartholomew. Then Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector. Also James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus (who also went by the name Thaddaeus). Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphæus, and Lebbæus, whose surname was Thaddæus;
4 Then there was Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot. Judas was the one who would later hand Jesus over to his enemies. Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5 Jesus sent these twelve out. He gave them clear orders: "Stay away from Gentile areas. Do not go into Samaritan towns." These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 "Instead, go to the people of Israel — they are like lost sheep who have wandered away." But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 "As you travel, spread this message: 'God's kingdom is arriving!'" And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 "Make sick people well. Heal those with leprosy. Bring dead people back to life. Throw out demons. Everything you received was a gift, so give it away as a gift." Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
9 "Don't bring along any gold, silver, or copper coins." Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
10 "Don't pack a travel bag. Don't bring a spare set of clothes, extra sandals, or even a walking stick. A worker has earned the right to be fed by the people he serves." Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11 "When you arrive in a town or city, find someone you can trust. Stay at their home until it is time to leave." And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12 "When you step into a home, offer a blessing of peace." And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13 "If the people in that home welcome you, let your peace stay with them. If they reject you, take your blessing of peace back." And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 "If a home or town will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place. Shake the dust off your feet as you go." And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 "I am telling you honestly. On judgment day, even Sodom and Gomorrha will be treated less harshly than that town." Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Warnings About Persecution
Study note
Jesus does not sugarcoat the reality of mission: his disciples are sent as sheep among wolves. They will face arrest, beatings, and family betrayal because of their allegiance to Christ. Yet they are not to worry about what to say, because the Father's Spirit will speak through them. The promise that endurance leads to salvation encourages perseverance through the inevitable hardships of faithful witness.
16 "Pay attention — I am sending you out like sheep walking straight into a pack of wolves. So use the cleverness of a snake and the innocence of a dove." Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 "Stay on your guard around people. Some will drag you into courtrooms, and others will beat you in their meeting places." But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 "Because you follow me, you will be hauled in front of governors and kings. This will give you the chance to share your story with them and with the Gentiles." And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 "When they arrest you, don't panic about finding the perfect words. When the time comes to speak, the right thing to say will be given to you." But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 "It will not be you doing the talking — the Spirit of your Father will be speaking through you." For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21 "Brothers will hand their own brothers over to be killed. Fathers will turn against their own children. Children will rebel against their parents and have them executed." And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 "Everyone is going to hate you because you belong to me. But the person who holds on and does not quit all the way to the end will be saved." And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 "When people start attacking you in one city, escape to the next one. I am telling you honestly, you will not run out of cities in Israel before the Son of man arrives." But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24 "A student does not outrank his teacher, and a servant does not outrank his master." The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
25 "A student should be happy to become like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If people called the head of the house Beelzebub, think what names they will call the rest of his family!" It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
Fear God, Not Man
Study note
Jesus provides tender encouragement alongside his warnings, reminding his followers that God values them more than many sparrows and has numbered every hair on their heads. The command to fear only God who has power over both body and soul liberates believers from the tyranny of human approval. Publicly confessing Christ and being confessed by him before the Father establishes the stakes of faithful witness.
26 "So don't let fear of these people control you. Everything that is covered up will eventually be uncovered. Every secret will eventually be brought out into the open." Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 "The things I tell you in private, go and announce in public. The things I whisper to you behind closed doors, go shout from the rooftops." What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 "Think about sparrows — you can buy two of them for practically nothing. Yet God pays attention to every one. Not one sparrow dies without your Father knowing about it." Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 "God even keeps track of exactly how many hairs are on your head." But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 "So push away your fears. You are worth more to God than an entire sky full of sparrows." Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32 "If you stand up for me in front of other people, I will stand up for you in front of my Father in heaven." Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 "But if you pretend you don't know me in front of other people, I will say I don't know you in front of my Father in heaven." But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
The Cost of Following Christ
Study note
Jesus' shocking statement that he came to bring 'not peace, but a sword' reveals that loyalty to him may divide even the closest family relationships. The call to take up one's cross and lose one's life for his sake defines discipleship in the most radical terms. Yet the chapter ends with the promise that even small acts of kindness done for Jesus' sake -- like giving a cup of cold water -- will not go unrewarded.
34 "Don't assume I came to make everything peaceful on earth. My arrival will bring conflict, like a sharp sword." Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 "I have come to cause division. Sons will clash with their fathers, daughters with their mothers, and daughters-in-law with their mothers-in-law." For I am come 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.
36 "Sometimes your worst enemies will be right in your own home." And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 "If you care more about your father or mother than you care about me, you are not fit to be mine. If you care more about your son or daughter than about me, you are not fit to be mine." 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.
38 "If you are not willing to pick up your cross and walk the hard road behind me, you are not fit to be mine." And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 "If you cling to your life, you will end up losing it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will find it." He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 "When someone welcomes you, they are truly welcoming me. And when someone welcomes me, they are welcoming the one who sent me." He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41 "Whoever welcomes a prophet because that person is a prophet will share in a prophet's reward. Whoever welcomes a good person because that person is good will share in a good person's reward." 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.
42 "Someone might give a cup of cold water to one of my humble followers. They do it because that person follows me. I promise you, they will get a 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.
Key Themes
Themes in Matthew 10
Apostolic missionDependence on GodPersecution and enduranceFearless witnessThe cost of discipleshipGod's intimate care
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Matthew 10:35-36 Micah 7:6
Jesus alludes to Micah's prophecy about family members becoming enemies, applying it to the division that loyalty to Christ may bring within households.
Apply This Today
Living Matthew 10
Jesus' commissioning of the twelve reminds us that every believer is sent with a mission. You may not face the same level of persecution, but following Christ will always cost something. When fear of rejection or conflict tempts you to stay silent about your faith, remember that the God who counts the hairs on your head also promises to stand with you. Take courage from the knowledge that no act of faithfulness, however small, is overlooked by God.
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