The Workers Are Few

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.(A) 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,(B) because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.(C) 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest(D) is plentiful but the workers are few.(E) 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve(F)(G)(H)(I)(J)

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits(K) and to heal every disease and sickness.(L)

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.(M)

Calling the Twelve to him,(A) he began to send them out two by two(B) and gave them authority over impure spirits.(C)

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These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.(A) Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.(B) As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven(C) has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts(D) 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.(E) 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting.(F) 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.(G) 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah(H) on the day of judgment(I) than for that town.(J)

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.(K) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.(L) 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils(M) and be flogged in the synagogues.(N) 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings(O) as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.(P) At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father(Q) speaking through you.

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents(R) and have them put to death.(S) 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me,(T) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.(U) 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.(V)

24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.(W) 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,(X) how much more the members of his household!

26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.(Y) 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One(Z) who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[b] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.(AA) 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(AB)

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others,(AC) I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.(AD)

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law(AE)
36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c](AF)

37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.(AG) 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.(AH) 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.(AI)

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,(AJ) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(AK) 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”(AL)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:8 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  2. Matthew 10:29 Or will; or knowledge
  3. Matthew 10:36 Micah 7:6

Jesus and John the Baptist(A)

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,(B) he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 11:1 Greek in their towns

So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

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John the Baptist Beheaded(A)(B)

14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[a] “John the Baptist(C) has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

15 Others said, “He is Elijah.”(D)

And still others claimed, “He is a prophet,(E) like one of the prophets of long ago.”(F)

16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 6:14 Some early manuscripts He was saying

Now Herod(A) the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John(B) had been raised from the dead,(C) others that Elijah had appeared,(D) and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.(E) But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.(F)

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Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison(A) because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,(B) for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”(C) Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.(D)

On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded(E) in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it.(F) Then they went and told Jesus.

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17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison.(A) He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”(B) 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man.(C) When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[a]; yet he liked to listen to him.

21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet(D) for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.(E) 22 When the daughter of[b] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”(F)

24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand(G)(H)

30 The apostles(I) gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.(J) 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat,(K) he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat(L) to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 6:20 Some early manuscripts he did many things
  2. Mark 6:22 Some early manuscripts When his daughter

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand(A)(B)

10 When the apostles(C) returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida,(D) 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God,(E) and healed those who needed healing.

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Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand(A)

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs(B) he had performed by healing the sick.

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