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Matthew 10:21-42
Easy-to-Read Version
Matthew 10:21-42
Easy-to-Read Version
21 “Brothers will turn against their own brothers and hand them over to be killed. Fathers will hand over their own children to be killed. Children will fight against their own parents and will have them killed. 22 Everyone will hate you because you follow me. But the one who remains faithful to the end will be saved. 23 When you are treated badly in one city, go to another city. I promise you that you will not finish going to all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes again.
24 “Students are not better than their teacher. Servants are not better than their master. 25 Students should be happy to be treated the same as their teacher. And servants should be happy to be treated the same as their master. If those people call me ‘the ruler of demons,’ and I am the head of the family,[a] then it is even more certain that they will insult you, the members of the family!
Fear God, Not People(A)
26 “So don’t be afraid of those people. Everything that is hidden will be shown. Everything that is secret will be made known. 27 I tell you all this secretly,[b] but I want you to tell it publicly.[c] Whatever I tell you privately,[d] you should shout for everyone to hear.[e]
28 “Don’t be afraid of people. They can kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul. The only one you should fear is God, the one who can send the body and the soul to be destroyed in hell. 29 When birds are sold, two small birds cost only a penny. But not even one of those little birds can die without your Father knowing it. 30 God even knows how many hairs are on your head. 31 So don’t be afraid. You are worth more than a whole flock of birds.
Don’t Be Ashamed of Your Faith(B)
32 “If you stand before others and are willing to say you believe in me, then I will tell my Father in heaven that you belong to me. 33 But if you stand before others and say you do not believe in me, then I will tell my Father in heaven that you do not belong to me.
Following Jesus May Bring You Trouble(C)
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace. I came to bring trouble.[f] 35 I have come to make this happen:
‘A son will turn against his father.
A daughter will turn against her mother.
A daughter-in-law will turn against her mother-in-law.
36 Even members of your own family will be your enemies.’ (D)
37 “Those who love their father or mother more than they love me are not worthy of me. And those who love their son or daughter more than they love me are not worthy of me. 38 Those who will not accept the cross that is given to them when they follow me are not worthy of me. 39 Those who try to keep the life they have will lose it. But those who give up their life for me will find true life.
God Will Bless Those Who Welcome You(E)
40 “Whoever accepts you also accepts me. And whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me. 41 Whoever accepts a prophet because he is a prophet will get the same reward a prophet gets. And whoever accepts a godly person just because that person is godly will get the same reward a godly person gets. 42 Whoever helps any of these little ones because they are my followers will definitely get a reward, even if they only give them a cup of cold water.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 10:25 call me … family Literally, “call the head of the household Beelzebul.” See verse 9:34.
- Matthew 10:27 secretly Literally, “in the dark.”
- Matthew 10:27 publicly Literally, “in the light.”
- Matthew 10:27 privately Literally, “in the ear.”
- Matthew 10:27 for everyone to hear Literally, “on the housetops.”
- Matthew 10:34 trouble Literally, “a sword.”
Matthew 10:21-42
New International Version
Matthew 10:21-42
New International Version
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents(A) and have them put to death.(B) 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me,(C) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.(D) 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.(E)
24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.(F) 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,(G) how much more the members of his household!
26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.(H) 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One(I) who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.(J) 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(K)
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others,(L) I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.(M)
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 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(N)—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[b](O)
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.(P) 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.(Q) 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.(R)
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,(S) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(T) 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”(U)
Footnotes
- Matthew 10:29 Or will; or knowledge
- Matthew 10:36 Micah 7:6
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
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