Matthew 10:16-25 - Persecution Of Disciples Predicted

¹⁶ Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be, therefore, wise as serpents, and guileless as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men: for they will deliver you to the councils, and scourge you in their synagogues; ¹⁸ and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what you shall speak; for that which you shall speak shall be given you in that hour: ²⁰ for it is not you that speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you.

²¹ Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father the child; and children will rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²² And you will be hated by all men on my account: but he that endures to the end shall be saved. ²³ But when they persecute you in this city, flee into another: for verily I say to you, You will not have made the circuit of the cities of Israel before the Son of man shall come. ²⁴ The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the servant above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple, that he be as his teacher; and for the servant, that he be as his master. If they call the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household?

⁹ Then they will deliver you up to affliction, and kill you; and you will be hated by all nations on my account. ¹⁰ And then will many be ensnared, and they will deliver one another up, and hate one another; ¹¹ and many false prophets will arise, and deceive many; ¹² and because iniquity abounds, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But he that endures to the end, shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole habitable earth, for a testimony to all nations, and then shall the end come.

⁹ These are the beginning of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be scourged in the synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached among all the nations. ¹¹ But when they lead you to deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand, nor premeditate what you shall speak; but what ever shall be given you in that hour, that do you speak; for it is not you that speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father the child; and children will rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; ¹³ and you will be hated by all on my account. But he that endures to the end shall be saved.

¹² But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues, and into prisons, after being brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. ¹³ But this shall become to you the means of bearing testimony. ¹⁴ Therefore, determine in your hearts not to meditate beforehand what you shall answer; ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth, and wisdom, which all your opposers shall not be able to gainsay or withstand. ¹⁶ But you will be delivered up by parents and brothers and relatives and friends; and some of you they will put to death; ¹⁷ and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. ¹⁸ Yet a hair of your head shall not perish. ¹⁹ By your patient endurance, preserve your lives.

¹ These things have I spoken to you, that you may not be ensnared. ² They will put you out of the synagogues; in deed, the time is coming, when he that kills you, will think that he is offering service to God. ³ And these things they will do, because they know neither the Father nor me. ⁴ But these things I have told you, that, when the time has come, you may remember that I told you of them. But these things I did not tell you at the beginning, because I was with you.