Matthew 10:16-25 - Persecution Of Disciples Predicted

¹⁶ By your mission you will be expos'd like sheep in the midst of wolves: be then as circumspect as serpents, and as inoffensive as doves: ¹⁷ be upon your guard with such men, for they will deliver you up to their tribunals, and scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ and ye shall be brought before governors and kings upon my account, to bear testimony of me to them and the rest of the Gentiles. ¹⁹ but when they take you. into custody, be not sollicitous, how or what ye shall speak, for at the very instant you shall be inspir'd what to say. ²⁰ for it is not properly you that speak, but the spirit of your father that speaketh by you.

²¹ then the brother shall betray his brother to death, and the father his child: and children shall rise up against their parents, and be the instruments of their death. ²² and ye shall be hated by all the world for professing my name: but he that perseveres unto the end, shall escape. ²³ Then if they persecute you in one city, fly to another: for I assure you, before you have preach'd thro' all the cities of the Jews, the son of man will come. ²⁴ the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. ²⁵ if the disciple fare as well as his master, and the servant as his lord, is not that sufficient? if they style the master of the house Beelzebub, much more will they call his domestics so.

⁹ then shall they deliver you up to torments, and to death: and ye shall be hated by all nations upon my account. ¹⁰ then shall many relapse, and shall pursue one another with mutual treachery and hatred. ¹¹ many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. ¹² and as iniquity becomes more flagrant, the zeal of many will grow cool. ¹³ but he that shall persevere unto the end, shall be preserved. ¹⁴ and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, to testify to all nations, that the end will then come.

⁹ these are the beginning of sorrows. then look to your selves: for they will deliver you up to the tribunals, and scourge you in the synagogues: you will be brought before governours, and princes upon my account, to be my witnesses against them. ¹⁰ but the gospel must first be published among all nations. ¹¹ now when they shall lead you to deliver you up, be not sollicitous about your defence, don't premeditate upon it; but what shall be suggested to you at the very occasion, that deliver: for it is not you that will plead, but the holy spirit. ¹² then the brother shall betray his brother to death, and the father his son: children shall prosecute their parents, and be the instruments to take away their lives: ¹³ you will be the object of universal hatred upon my account; but he that shall persevere unto the end, shall be saved.

¹² but before all these events, they will seize upon you and persecute you, drag you to the synagogues and to prisons, being accused before kings and governours, for professing my name. ¹³ and that shall be one proof of the truth of your profession. ¹⁴ fix it therefore in your mind, not to think beforehand about your defence. ¹⁵ for I will make you speak with such strength of argument, as all your adversaries shall not be able to contradict or withstand. ¹⁶ you will be betrayed even by your very parents, and brethren, and kindred, and friends. nay, some of you they will prosecute even to death. ¹⁷ you will be hated by all mankind for professing my name, ¹⁸ however a single hair of your head shall not be lost. ¹⁹ by your perseverance you will save your souls.

¹ I have told you these things that ye may not be discouraged. ² they shall expel you out of the synagogues: yea, the time is coming, when it will be thought an agreeable sacrifice to God for any one to take away your lives. ³ and thus will they treat you, because they have not known the father, nor me. ⁴ but these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember what I now tell you. I did not tell you so much at the beginning, because, I was then to be with you.