Matthew 10:16-25 - Persecution Of Disciples Predicted

¹⁶ "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹ Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ²² And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. For truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ²⁴ "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

⁹ Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. ¹⁰ And then many will fall away, and will betray one another, and hate one another. ¹¹ And many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹² And because wickedness will increase, the love of most will grow cold. ¹³ But he who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

⁹ But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand what you are to say. But say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ And you will be hated by all men for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

¹² But before all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. And you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. ¹³ This will turn into an opportunity for you to bear testimony. ¹⁴ Therefore settle it in your minds not to meditate beforehand how you will answer; ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all for my name's sake. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will gain your lives.

¹ "I have said all this to you so that you will not go astray. ² They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. ³ And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. ⁴ But I have told you these things, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. "I did not say these things to you at the beginning, because I was with you.