BOOK 40 OF 66 · GOSPELS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Matthew 10

Matthew book home•Chapter 10 of 28•42 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Matthew 10 Overview

Jesus commissions the twelve apostles, gives them authority over unclean spirits and disease, and sends them initially to the lost sheep of Israel with the kingdom message. He prepares them for dependence, rejection, persecution, family division, costly allegiance, and the need to confess Him openly. He also promises that receiving His messengers and serving even the least disciple will not be forgotten.

MatthewBook

10Chapter

42Verses

GospelsDivision

Before you read Matthew 10

Coming from

Matthew 9 established the immediate context: Jesus heals a paralytic and publicly claims authority to forgive sins, calls Matthew from the receipt of custom, eats with publicans and sinners, answers questions about fasting, heals a woman with an issue of blood, raises a ruler’s daughter, restores sight to two blind men, casts out a devil, and looks on the crowds with compassion as sheep without a shepherd.

In this chapter

Matthew 10 turns disciples into sent apostles and realistically prepares them for mission in a hostile world.

Leads into

Matthew 11 continues the account: John the Baptist, imprisoned, sends disciples to ask whether Jesus is the coming One.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The immediate mission is specifically restricted to Israel before the later worldwide commission of Matthew 28. The scope changes as redemptive history progresses.

Warnings about enduring persecution concern faithful discipleship and mission. They should not be turned into a doctrine that eternal life is retained only by persevering works.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Mission depends on delegated authority

The apostles do not act independently; Jesus gives and defines their authority.

Faithful witness can provoke opposition

Jesus does not promise social acceptance to His messengers.

Fear of God outweighs fear of men

Disciples are taught to value the One who has ultimate authority rather than persecutors who can kill the body.

Allegiance to Christ can be costly

Family relationships, reputation, and personal safety may all be tested.

God values seemingly small acts of faithfulness

Even a cup of cold water given to a disciple is noticed.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Micah 7:6

Jesus uses Micah’s family-division language to describe conflict caused by allegiance to Him.

Jeremiah 1:7–10

The prophet’s commission and opposition provide an Old Testament pattern of sent speech under divine authority.

Matthew 28:18–20

The later Great Commission expands the mission from Israel to all nations.

2 Timothy 2:11–13

Paul distinguishes faithful service and reward from God’s unchanging faithfulness, helpful when reading endurance warnings.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not apply every temporary travel instruction directly to every Christian mission trip

Some commands belong specifically to this apostolic mission to Israel.

Do not teach loss of eternal salvation from persecution warnings

The chapter addresses confession, mission faithfulness, and discipleship under pressure.

Do not use family-division language to excuse needless hostility

The division comes from allegiance to Christ, not from Christians behaving abusively.

Read Matthew 10 watching for…

The names and authority of the twelve.

The mission’s initial geographic restriction.

Instructions about dependence and hospitality.

The kinds of persecution Jesus predicts.

Repeated commands not to fear.

What Jesus says about confessing or denying Him before men.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-15Jesus gives the twelve authority and sends them to preach to Israel 16-25Jesus warns the apostles about persecution and calls them to be wise and faithful 26-33Jesus tells them not to fear men but to confess him openly 34-42Jesus explains the cost of discipleship and the reward of receiving his servants

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

And when ye come into an house, salute it.

And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.