Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles
(Mark 3.13-19Luke 6.12-16)1 Jesus called together his twelve disciples. He gave them the power to force out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. 2 The first of the twelve apostles was Simon, better known as Peter. His brother Andrew was an apostle, and so were James and John, the two sons of Zebedee. 3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus were also apostles. 4 The others were Simon, known as the Eager One, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.
Instructions for the Twelve Apostles
(Mark 6.7-13Luke 9.1-6)5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions:
Stay away from the Gentiles and don't go to any Samaritan town. 6 Go only to the people of Israel, because they are like a flock of lost sheep. 7 As you go, announce that the kingdom of heaven will soon be here. 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy, and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid. 9 Don't take along any gold, silver, or copper coins. 10 And don't carry a traveling bag or an extra shirt or sandals or a walking stick.
Workers deserve their food. 11 So when you go to a town or a village, find someone able and willing to have you as their guest and stay with them until you leave. 12 When you go to a home, give it your blessing of peace. 13 If the home is deserving, let your blessing remain with them. But if the home doesn't accept you, take back your blessing of peace. 14 If someone won't welcome you or listen to your message, leave their home or town. And shake the dust from your feet at them. 15 I promise you the day of judgment will be easier for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
Warning about Trouble
(Mark 13.9-13Luke 21.12-17)16 I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Watch out for people who will take you to court and have you beaten in their synagogues. 18 Because of me, you will be dragged before rulers and kings to tell them and the Gentiles about your faith. 19 But when someone arrests you, don't worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the words to say. 20 But you will not really be the one speaking. The Spirit from your Father will tell you what to say.
21 Brothers and sisters will betray one another and have each other put to death. Parents will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents and have them killed. 22 Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved. 23 When people mistreat you in one town, hurry to another one. I promise you before you have gone to all the towns of Israel, the Son of Man will come.
24 Students are not better than their teacher, and slaves are not better than their master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teacher and for slaves to be like their master. If people call the head of the family Satan, what will they say about the rest of the family?
The One To Fear
(Luke 12.2-7)26 Don't be afraid of anyone! Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. 27 Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. 28 Don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. 29 Aren't two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. 30 Even the hairs on your head are counted. 31 So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.
Telling Others about Christ
(Luke 12.8Luke 9)32 If you tell others you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven you are my followers. 33 But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven you don't belong to me.
Not Peace, but Trouble
(Luke 12.51-53Luke 14.26Luke 27)34 Don't think I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. 35 I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. 36 Your worst enemies will be in your own family.
37 If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 38 And unless you are willing to take up your cross and follow me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 39 If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.
Rewards
(Mark 9.41)40 Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet, just because that person is a prophet, will be given the same reward as a prophet. Anyone who welcomes a good person, just because that person is good, will be given the same reward as a good person. 42 And anyone who gives one of my most humble followers a cup of cool water, just because that person is my follower, will be rewarded.
Divpadsmit mācekļi
(Mk 3:13–19Lk 6:12–16)1 Jēzus, pieaicinājis savus divpadsmit mācekļus, deva viņiem varu izdzīt nešķīstos garus un dziedināt no visām slimībām un kaitēm. 2 Bet divpadsmit apustuļu vārdi ir šādi: vispirms – Sīmanis, saukts Pēteris, un viņa brālis Andrejs; tad Jēkabs, Zebedeja dēls, un viņa brālis Jānis, 3 Filips un Bartolomejs, Toms un muitnieks Matejs, Jēkabs, Alfeja dēls, un Tadejs, 4 kanaānietis Sīmanis un Jūda Iskariots, kas viņu nodeva.
Norādījumi divpadsmit mācekļiem
(Mk 6:6b–13Lk 9:1–6)5 Šos divpadsmit Jēzus sūtīja, tiem pavēlēdams: “Neejiet uz pagānu pusi un samariešu pilsētās, 6 bet ejiet labāk pie Israēla nama pazudušajām avīm. 7 Ejiet un sludiniet: Debesu valstība ir klāt. 8 Dziediniet slimus, uzceliet mirušus, šķīstiet spitālīgus, izdzeniet dēmonus; bez maksas jūs esat saņēmuši, bez maksas dodiet. 9 Neņemiet sev nedz sudrabu, nedz zeltu, nedz vara naudu savās jostās, 10 nedz somu ceļā, nedz divi svārkus, nedz apavus, nedz spieķi; jo strādnieks savu iztiku ir cienīgs saņemt. 11 Un, kurā pilsētā vai ciemā jūs ieiesiet, tur izjautājiet, kurš tajā ir cienīgs; pie tā arī palieciet, kamēr aiziesiet. 12 Namā iegājuši, sveiciniet to; 13 un, ja šis nams ir cienīgs, jūsu miers nāks pār to, bet, ja nav cienīgs, lai jūsu miers atgriežas pie jums. 14 Ja kāds jūs neuzņem un neuzklausa jūsu vārdus, iedami ārā no šī nama vai šīs pilsētas, nokratiet putekļus no savām kājām. 15 Patiesi es jums saku: Sodomas un Gomoras zemei tiesas dienā būs vieglāk nekā šai pilsētai.
Mācekļi tiks vajāti
(Mk 13:9–13Lk 21:12–17)16 Redzi, es jūs sūtu kā avis vilku vidū, tad nu esiet gudri kā čūskas un bez viltus kā baloži. 17 Bet piesargieties no cilvēkiem, jo tie jūs nodos sinedrijam un šaustīs savās sinagogās; 18 un jūs vedīs manis dēļ valdnieku un ķēniņu priekšā – viņiem un pagāniem par liecību. 19 Bet, kad tie jūs nodos, neuztraucieties, kā un ko jūs runāsiet, jo tajā pašā brīdī jums tiks dots, kas jāsaka, 20 jo jūs nebūsiet tie, kas runā, bet jūsu Tēva Gars jūsos runās. 21 Brālis brāli nodos nāvei un tēvs – bērnu, un bērni sacelsies pret vecākiem un tos nonāvēs. 22 Visi jūs nicinās mana vārda dēļ, bet, kas pastāvēs līdz galam, tas tiks izglābts. 23 Kad jūs vajās vienā pilsētā, bēdziet uz citu; patiesi es jums saku: jūs nebūsiet vēl apstaigājuši Israēla pilsētas, kad Cilvēka Dēls jau nāks. 24 Māceklis nav pārāks par savu skolotāju, nedz kalps augstāks par savu kungu. 25 Pietiek, ja māceklis top kā viņa skolotājs un kalps kā viņa kungs. Ja nama saimnieks tiek saukts par Belcebulu, tad vēl jo vairāk viņa ļaudis.
Nebīstieties!
(Lk 12:2–9)26 Bet nebīstieties no tiem, jo nav nekā aizsegta, kas netiktu atklāts, un nekā slepena, kas nekļūtu zināms. 27 Ko es jums runāju tumsā, to sakiet gaismā, un, kas teikts jūsu ausī, to pasludiniet no namu jumtiem. 28 Nebīstieties no tiem, kas miesu nonāvē, bet dvēseli nespēj nonāvēt, bīstieties vairāk no tā, kas dvēseli un miesu var pazudināt ellē. 29 Vai divus zvirbuļus nepārdod par nieka grasi? Un neviens no tiem nekrīt zemē bez jūsu Tēva ziņas. 30 Bet jums pat visi mati uz galvas ir saskaitīti. 31 Tādēļ nebīstieties, jūs esat vērtīgāki nekā daudzi zvirbuļi. 32 Tad nu ikvienu, kas mani apliecinās cilvēku priekšā, arī es apliecināšu sava debesu Tēva priekšā. 33 Bet, kas mani noliegs cilvēku priekšā, to arī es noliegšu sava debesu Tēva priekšā.
Ne mieru, bet zobenu
(Lk 12:51–53Lk 14:26–27)34 Nedomājiet, ka es esmu nācis mieru atnest virs zemes; es neesmu nācis atnest mieru, bet zobenu! 35 Jo es esmu nācis cilvēku sanaidot ar viņa tēvu, meitu ar viņas māti un vedeklu ar viņas vīramāti; 36 un cilvēka tuvinieki būs viņa ienaidnieki. 37 Kas tēvu vai māti mīl vairāk nekā mani, tas nav manis cienīgs; kas dēlu vai meitu mīl vairāk nekā mani, arī nav manis cienīgs. 38 Kas neņem savu krustu un neseko man, tas nav manis cienīgs. 39 Kas savu dzīvību atrod, tas to zaudēs, bet, kas savu dzīvību zaudēs manis dēļ, tas to atradīs.
Kā uzņemt Jēzus mācekļus
(Mk 9:41)40 Kas jūs uzņem, tas uzņem mani, un, kas mani uzņem, tas uzņem to, kas mani sūtījis. 41 Kas uzņem pravieti pravieša vārdā, tas saņems pravieša algu; kas uzņem taisno taisnā vārdā, tas saņems taisnā algu. 42 Un, kas padzirdīs vienu no šiem vismazākajiem ar biķeri auksta ūdens vien tādēļ, ka to sauc māceklis, tam viņa alga nezudīs.”
