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matthew 10:16-42

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Matthew 10:16-42

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”

— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19. 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. 20. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21. 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. 22. And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23. 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. 24. The disciple is not above [his] master, nor the servant above his lord. 25. 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? 26. Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27. What I tell you in darkness, [that] speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, [that] preach ye upon the housetops. 28. 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. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35. 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. 36. And a man’s foes [shall be] they of his own household. 37. 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. 38. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41. 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. 42. 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.

Matthew 10:16-42 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Matthew 10:16

Theological / Devotional

Behold. Having concluded His exhortation of the Twelve with respect to points particularly applicable to the mission that lay immediately before them (vs. 5-15), Jesus now turns to problems of a more general nature, and gives instruction applicable to Christian workers to the close of time (vs. 16-42; see DA 352).

As sheep. See on v. 6. Workers for Christ are to exhibit certain traits that are characteristic of sheep, particularly that of gentleness in their dealings with others. Compare the expression “harmless as doves.”

Wise as serpents. Gospel workers must be alert, quick to act when opportunity offers, aware of the dangers and difficulties that may be involved in a proposed course of action. They are to be prudent in their conduct and in dealing with difficult situations. They are to see through the devices of evil men, without practicing those devices themselves. However, there are certain traits characteristic of the serpent which they are not to imitate, any more than they are to imitate all the characteristics of the sheep. While they exercise the alertness of the serpent, they are not to imitate his wiliness.

Harmless. Gr. akeraios, “unmixed,” and thus “innocent,” or “simple.” While wary as a serpent, the Christian worker is to be as free from guile or craft as a dove.

By SdaBc

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