Christ sends out the twelve apostles, giving them authority.

1 Jesus called the twelve disciples to himself and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2 And these are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. 3 James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus and Lebbaeus, who was called Thaddaeus, 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 5 Jesus sent out these twelve, commanding them and saying: “Do not go on the road that leads to the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, preach and say that the kingdom of heaven has drawn near. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You received freely, give freely. 9 Do not take any gold or silver or copper coins in your belts. 10 No travel bag, no second tunic, no sandals, and no staff, because the worker is worthy of his food. 11 Whatever city or village you enter, inquire who in it is worthy to receive you, and stay there until you leave. 12 And when you enter that house, greet it. 13 And if that house is worthy, your peace will come upon it, but if it is not worthy, your peace will return to you. 14 And whoever does not receive you, nor listen to your word, when you go out from that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of the Sodomites and the Gomorrites than for that city. 16 Now, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Be on guard against people, for they will bring you before courts and will flog you in their synagogues. 18 Because of me you will be brought before governors and kings, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you should speak, because in that very hour you will be given what you are to say. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 And brother will hand brother over to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against their parents and kill them. 22 And you will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will live. 23 And when they persecute you in this city, flee to another city. Truly I tell you, you will not have finished going through the cities of Israel before the coming of the Son of Man. 24 A disciple is not above the teacher, nor is a servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and for the servant to be like his lord. If they called the master of the house “Beelzebul,” how much more will they call the members of his household. 26 So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light, and what you hear in the ear, proclaim on the rooftops. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can hand both soul and body over to destruction in Gehenna. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for one coin? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. 30 Even every hair of your head is counted. 31 So do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows. 32 So then, whoever confesses me before people, I also will confess him before my Father who is in heaven. 33 And whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven. 34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a son against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 40 Whoever receives you receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me. 41 Whoever receives a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to drink to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, truly I tell you, he will not lose his reward.”