World English Bible · Under Rome
Matthew 10
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He called to himself his twelve , and gave them over , to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. Now the names of the twelve are these. The first, , who is called ; , his brother; the son of ; , his brother; ; ; ; the ; the son of ; , who was also called ; ; and , who also betrayed him. sent these twelve out and commanded them, saying, "Don't go among the , and don't enter into any city of the . Rather, go to the lost sheep of the . As you go, preach, saying, ' of is at hand!' Heal the sick, cleanse the , and . Freely you received, so freely give. Don't take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts. Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor , nor : for the laborer is worthy of his food. Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go on. As you enter into the household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn't worthy, let your peace return to you. Whoever doesn't receive you or hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, off your feet. Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of and in the day of than for that city. "Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be as and harmless as . But beware of men, for they will you up to councils, and in their they will scourge you. Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a to them and to the nations. But when they you up, don't be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. For it is not you who speak, but of your who speaks in you. "Brother will up brother to , and his child. Children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to . You will be hated by all men for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end will be . But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel until has come. " is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his . It is enough for the that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his . If they have called the master of the house , how much more those of his household! Therefore don't be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be , or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in , speak in ; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. Don't be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the . Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both and body in . "Aren't two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls to the ground apart from your will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don't be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, I will also him before who is in . But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before who is in . "Don't think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn't come to send peace, but a . For I came to set a man at odds against his , and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's will be those of his own household. He who loves or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn't worthy of me. He who doesn't take his and follow after me isn't worthy of me. He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a in the name of a will receive a reward. He who receives a man in the name of a man will receive a man's reward. Whoever gives one of these little ones a of cold water to drink in the name of , most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward."
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.