Matthew 10:16-25 - Persecution Of Disciples Predicted

¹⁶ Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore prudent as serpents, and harmless as doves. ¹⁷ But be on your guard against men: for they will deliver you up to the sanhedrim, and scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ And ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the heathen. ¹⁹ But when they shall deliver you up, be under no anxiety what ye shall say; for it shall be given you in that very hour what ye should speak: ²⁰ for it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father which is speaking in you.

²¹ Then brother shall surrender brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²² And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, that man shall be saved. ²³ But when they shall persecute you in one city, flee unto another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not complete your circuit through the cities of Israel before the Son of man comes. ²⁴ The disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the servant above his master. ²⁵ It is sufficient if the disciple be as his teacher, and the servant as his master. If they have called the master of the family Beelzebub, how much more his domestics?

⁹ Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. ¹⁰ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and hate one another. ¹¹ And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. ¹² And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will grow cool. ¹³ But he that endureth to the end, that man will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached through the whole world for a testimony to all the nations: and then shall come the final close.

⁹ But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to their sanhedrims, and to the synagogues; ye shall be beaten with rods, and be set before kings and governors for my name's sake, for a testimony unto them. ¹⁰ And the Gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ But when delivering you up, they shall bring you to the bar, be not previously anxious what ye shall say, neither premeditate: for it shall be given to you at that very hour, what ye shall speak: for it is not you, who are speaking, but the Holy Ghost. ¹² And brother shall deliver up brother unto death, and the father the son: and children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. ¹³ And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

¹² But before all these things, they will lay hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and to prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. ¹³ And it shall afford you an opportunity to bear your testimony. ¹⁴ Therefore rest satisfied in your hearts, not to premeditate what apology to make: ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall be utterly unable to contradict or resist. ¹⁶ But ye shall be betrayed even by parents, and brethren, and relations, and friends; and some of you they shall put to death. ¹⁷ And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. ¹⁸ Though a hair of your head shall in nowise perish. ¹⁹ In your patience possess ye your souls.

¹ THESE things have I spoken, that ye might not be stumbled. ² They will put you out of their synagogues: yea, the hour is coming, that every one who killeth you will think he offers God a sacred service. ³ And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. ⁴ But these things have I spoken to you, that when the hour is come, ye may remember the same for I had told you. But these things I told you not at the beginning, because I was with you.