Jesus Chooses the Twelve

101 And having called to [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power over unclean spirits, so that they should cast them out, and heal every disease and every bodily weakness. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax-gatherer; James the [son] of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, who was surnamed Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas the Iscariote, who also delivered him up.

The Mission of the Twelve

5 These twelve Jesus sent out when he had charged them, saying, Go not off into [the] way of [the] nations, and into a city of Samaritans enter ye not; 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh. 8 Heal [the] infirm, [raise the dead], cleanse lepers, cast out demons: ye have received gratuitously, give gratuitously. 9 Do not provide yourselves with gold, or silver, or brass, for your belts, 10 nor scrip for the way, nor two body coats, nor sandals, nor a staff: for the workman is worthy of his nourishment. 11 But into whatsoever city or village ye enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there remain till ye go forth. 12 And as ye enter into a house salute it. 13 And if the house indeed be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in judgment-day than for that city.

Coming Persecutions

16 Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves; be therefore prudent as the serpents, and guileless as the doves. 17 But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to sanhedrims, and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. 19 But when they deliver you up, be not careful how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given to you in that hour what ye shall speak. 20 For ye are not the speakers, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you. 21 But brother shall deliver up brother to death, and father child; and children shall rise up against parents and shall put them to death; 22 and ye shall be hated of all on account of my name. But he that has endured to [the] end, he shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee to the other; for verily I say to you, Ye shall not have completed the cities of Israel until the Son of man be come. 24 The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the bondman above his lord. 25 [It is] sufficient for the disciple that he should become as his teacher, and the bondman as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household?

Whom to Fear

26 Fear them not therefore; for there is nothing covered which shall not be revealed, and secret which shall not be known. 27 What I say to you in darkness speak in the light, and what ye hear in the ear preach upon the houses. 28 And be not afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but fear rather him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father; 30 but of you even the hairs of the head are all numbered. 31 Fear not therefore; ye are better than many sparrows. 32 Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, I also will confess him before my Father who is in [the] heavens. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in [the] heavens.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 Do not think that I have come to send peace upon the earth: I have not come to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man at variance with his father, and the daughter with her mother, and the daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law; 36 and they of his household [shall be] a man's enemies. 37 He who loves father or mother above me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter above me is not worthy of me. 38 And he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 He that finds his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for my sake shall find it.

Rewards

40 He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me. 41 He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink to 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.

The Preaching of John the Baptist

31 Now in those days comes John the baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh. 3 For this is he who has been spoken of through Esaias the prophet, saying, Voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: prepare ye the way of [the] Lord, make straight his paths. 4 And John himself had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the country round the Jordan, 6 and were baptised by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Offspring of vipers, who has forewarned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce therefore fruit worthy of repentance. 9 And do not think to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for [our] father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 And already the axe is applied to the root of the trees; every tree therefore not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptise you with water to repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not fit to bear; he shall baptise you with [the] Holy Spirit and fire; 12 whose winnowing fan [is] in his hand, and he shall thoroughly purge his threshing-floor, and shall gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then comes Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptised of him; 14 but John urgently forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee; and comest thou to me? 15 But Jesus answering said to him, Suffer [it] now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffers him. 16 And Jesus, having been baptised, went up straightway from the water, and lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him: 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight.