Matthew 10:16-25 - Persecution Of Disciples Predicted

¹⁶ "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; become ye, therefore, as wise as the serpents and as innocent as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to high-councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you; ¹⁸ and before the governors and the kings shall ye be brought for My sake, for a testimony to them and to the gentiles. ¹⁹ And, when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what to speak; ²⁰ for it is not ye that speak, but, the Spirit of your Father Who speaketh in you.

²¹ "And brother will deliver up brother to death; and father, his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²² And ye will be hated by all, for My name's sake; but he who endures to the end, the same shall be saved. ²³ "And, when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next; for verily I say to you, ye will in no wise finish the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man come! ²⁴ "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his lord. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple, that he become as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. If they called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his house-hold?

⁹ Then will they deliver you up to tribulation, and will slay you; and ye will be hated by all the nations for My name's sake. ¹⁰ And then will many be caused to stumble, and will deliver up one another, and hate one another; ¹¹ and many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray; ¹² and, because lawlessness abounds, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then shall the end come.

⁹ "But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to the councils; and in synagogues ye will be beaten; and before governors and kings ye will stand for My sake, for a testimony to them. ¹⁰ And the Gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ¹¹ And, when they lead you away, delivering you up, be not anxious beforehand what ye shall speak; but whatsoever is given you in that hour, this speak: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² And brother will deliver up brother to death; and the father, the child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. ¹³ And ye will be hated by all for My name's sake; but he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved.

¹² And, before all these things, they will lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up into the synagogues and prisons, being brought before kings and governors for My name's sake. ¹³ It shall result to you for a testimony. ¹⁴ Settle it, therefore, in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to make a defense; ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth, and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand or gainsay. ¹⁶ But ye will be delivered up even by parents, and brothers, and kindred, and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ And ye will be hated by all for My name's sake. ¹⁸ And a hair of your head shall in no wise perish. ¹⁹ In your patience possess ye your souls.

¹ "These things have I spoken to you, that ye be not made to stumble. ² They will put you out of the synagogues; yea, an hour is coming, that every one who kills you will think that he is offering service to God. ³ And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor Me. ⁴ But these things I have spoken to you, that, when their hour shall come, ye may remember them, that I told you. And these things I said not to you from the beginning, because I was with you.