Matthew 10:24-42 ▼

24 "The learner is never superior to his teacher, and the servant is never superior to his master.

25 Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants?

26 Fear them not, however; there is nothing veiled which will not be uncovered, nor secret which will not become known.

27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what is whispered into your ear, proclaim upon the roofs of the houses.

28 "And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

29 Do not two sparrows sell for a halfpenny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave.

30 But as for you, the very hairs on your heads are all numbered.

31 Away then with fear; you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows.

32 "Every man who acknowledges me before men I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven.

33 But whoever disowns me before men I also will disown before my Father who is in Heaven.

34 "Do not suppose that I came to bring peace to the earth: I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

35 For I came to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36 and a man's own family will be his foes.

37 Any one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

38 and any one who does not take up his cross and follow where I lead is not worthy of me.

39 To save your life is to lose it, and to lose your life for my sake is to save it.

40 "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives Him who sent me.

41 Every one who receives a prophet, because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and every one who receives a righteous man, because he is a righteous man, will receive a righteous man's reward.

42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I solemnly tell you that he will not lose his reward."