The Twelve Apostles (Mark 3:13–19; Luke 6:12–16)
1 UST Then, Jesus told his 12 apprentices to come to him. He authorized them to drive demons out of people and to cure people who were sick in any way. BSB BSB: And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.
2 UST Here is a list of the names of the 12 men whom Jesus chose to represent him: Simon, whom people also call Peter; Andrew, Peter’ s{ younger} brother; James, Zebedee’ s son; John, James’{ younger} brother; BSB BSB: These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
3 UST Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew, a man who collected taxes; James, Alphaeus’ son; Thaddaeus; BSB BSB: Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4 UST Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who eventually helped to arrest Jesus. BSB BSB: Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
The Ministry of the Twelve (Mark 6:7–13; Luke 9:1–6)
6 UST Instead, go to your fellow Israelites. They are like sheep who have wandered off{ and need help}. BSB BSB: Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
7 UST While you are traveling, proclaim{ to people},‘God is about to establish his heavenly kingdom here.’ BSB BSB: As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’
8 UST Cure people who are sick. Make people who have died alive again. Heal people with skin diseases. Drive demons out of people. I have not charged you money as I enable you to do these things. So, you should not charge other people money to do these things for them. BSB BSB: Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
9 UST Do not pack any money to take with you. BSB BSB: Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts.
10 UST Do not pack a traveler’ s bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or a walking stick.{ I tell you not to bring these things} because people who work deserve their food.{ So, the people whom you help will give you what you need}. BSB BSB: Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.
11 UST When you visit a city or town, look for someone who lives there who welcomes you.{ When you find such a person}, stay in that person’ s home until you leave that area. BSB BSB: Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on.
12 UST When you go into that person’ s home, say hello to the people who live there{ and pray that God will make them peaceful}. BSB BSB: As you enter the home, greet its occupants.
13 UST Suppose that the people who live in that house really do welcome you. Then, God will make them peaceful, as you prayed. However, suppose that the people who live in that house do not welcome you. Then, God will not make them peaceful. BSB BSB: If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it, but if it is not, let your peace return to you.
14 UST Whenever people do not welcome you or listen to what you say, you should leave that home or city. As you are going, shake the dust from that place off your feet{ to show that you reject those people}. BSB BSB: And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.
15 UST { God will judge and punish} any people who reject you more severely than he will judge and punish the{ wicked} people who lived in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. What I have said is true. BSB BSB: Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Sheep among Wolves (2 Timothy 1:3–12)
16 UST I am sending you out{ to represent me} to people who will be hostile to you, so you will be like sheep among wolves. Therefore, you need to be as clever as snakes are. You also need to be as innocent as small birds are. BSB BSB: Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
17 UST Watch out for certain people. They will arrest you and accuse you in front of groups of important people. They will beat you in the Jewish meeting places. BSB BSB: But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
18 UST Because you are my apprentices, people will accuse you before local rulers and kings. That way, you will tell those rulers and the rest of the non- Jews{ about me}. BSB BSB: On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
19 UST Whenever people arrest you and accuse you, do not worry about how you will respond. At that time, God will reveal to you what you should say. BSB BSB: But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.
20 UST { You can be sure of that} because the Holy Spirit, whom God your Father sends, will reveal to you what to say. You will not speak for yourself. BSB BSB: For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 UST Men will have someone arrest their own brothers, and they will ask the judge to execute them. Fathers{ will do the same thing} to their own children. Children will rebel against their parents and cause them to die. BSB BSB: Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
22 UST Because you are my apprentices, many people will be hostile to you. However, if you persevere{ in being my apprentices} while people harm you, God will rescue you. BSB BSB: You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
23 UST When people in one city try to harm you, you should quickly travel to another city.{ You should do that} because I, the Son of Man, will return before you have proclaimed the good news in every town in Israel. What I have said is true. BSB BSB: When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 UST Apprentices are not greater than their teacher. Similarly, servants are not greater than their master. BSB BSB: A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
25 UST Those apprentices should be content when they become like their teacher. Similarly, those servants{ should be content when they become} like their master. Since people called the person who leads the family Satan, they will also call the people who are part of the family{ bad names}. BSB BSB: It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
Fear God Alone (Luke 12:4–7)
26 UST So then, do not be afraid of those people.{ I say that} because someday God will let everyone know everything people are trying to hide. BSB BSB: So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.
27 UST You should declare publicly everything I have said to you privately. You should shout for everyone to hear what you have heard me say quietly. BSB BSB: What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
30 UST God even knows how many hairs there are on your head. BSB BSB: And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 UST So, do not be afraid, because you are more precious{ to God} than many sparrows. BSB BSB: So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Confessing Christ (Luke 12:8–12)
33 UST However, if they tell others that they are not my apprentices, then I will say to God my Father, who rules from heaven, that those people are not my apprentices. BSB BSB: But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.
Not Peace but a Sword (Micah 7:1–6; Luke 12:49–53)
35 UST In fact, I am here so that{ family members} oppose each other. A man will oppose his father. A woman will oppose her mother. A woman who married{ a man} will oppose her husband’ s mother. BSB BSB: 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.
36 UST People who are part of a person’ s family will be those who oppose that person. BSB BSB: A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
39 UST People who do anything to stay alive will not truly live. However, people who are willing to die because they are my apprentices will truly live. BSB BSB: Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
The Reward of Service (2 Kings 4:8–17)
40 UST When people welcome you, it is the same as welcoming me. When people welcome me, it is the same as welcoming{ God the Father}, who sent me here. BSB BSB: He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.
41 UST As for those who welcome someone because they know that person speaks for God, God will reward them in the same way that he rewards people who speak for him. As for those who welcome someone because they know that person does what is right, God will reward them in the same way that he rewards people who do what is right. BSB BSB: Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 UST As for those who offer an unimportant person cold water to drink just because they know that person is my apprentice, God will most certainly reward them. What I have said is true.” BSB BSB: And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”