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.
1 Un, pieaicinājis Savus divpadsmit mācekļus, Viņš tiem deva varu pār nešķīstiem gariem tos izdzīt un dziedināt visas sērgas un slimības. 2 Un šie ir divpadsmit apustuļu vārdi: pirmais ir Sīmanis, saukts Pēteris, un viņa brālis Andrejs; Jēkabs, Cebedeja dēls, un viņa brālis Jānis; 3 Filips un Bartolomejs; Toms un Matejs, muitnieks; Jēkabs, Alfeja dēls, un Tadejs; 4 Sīmanis Kānaānietis un Jūda Iskariots, kas Viņu arī nodeva. 5 Šos divpadsmit Jēzus izsūtīja, tiem pavēlēja un sacīja: "Nenoeita uz pagānu ceļu un neeita samariešu pilsētā. 6 Bet eita labāk pie Israēla cilts pazudušām avīm. 7 Bet ejot sludiniet un sakait: Debesu valstība ir tuvu klāt pienākusi. 8 Dziediniet slimus, šķīstiet spitālīgus, uzmodiniet mirušus, izdzeniet ļaunus garus. Bez maksas jūs esat dabūjuši, bez maksas dodiet. 9 Jums nebūs iegādāties nedz zeltu, nedz sudrabu, nedz varu savās jostās, 10 nedz ceļasomu, nedz divi svārkus, nedz kurpes, nedz nūju, jo strādniekam sava barība pienākas. 11 Un, kurā pilsētā vai miestā jūs ieiesit, uzmeklējiet, kas tur vērts, un tur palieciet, tiekāms jūs no turienes aiziesit. 12 Un, namā ieiedami, sveicinait to. 13 Un, ja tas nams ir vērts, tad jūsu miers lai nāk pār to, bet, ja tas nav vērts, tad lai jūsu miers atkal pie jums atgriežas. 14 Un, ja kas jūs negrib uzņemt, nedz klausīt jūsu vārdus, izeita no tāda nama vai tādas pilsētas un nokratait pīšļus no savām kājām. 15 Patiesi Es jums saku: Sodomas un Gomoras zemei būs vieglāk soda dienā nekā tādai pilsētai. 16 Redzi, Es jūs sūtu kā avis vilku starpā; tāpēc esiet gudri kā čūskas un bez viltus kā baloži. 17 Bet sargaities no cilvēkiem, jo tie jūs nodos savās tiesās un jūs šautīs savās sinagogās, 18 un jūs vedīs Manis dēļ valdnieku un ķēniņu priekšā viņiem un pagāniem par liecību. 19 Kad tie jūs nodos, tad nebēdājieties, kā un ko jūs runāsit, jo tanī pašā stundā jums taps dots, kas jums jārunā. 20 Jo jūs neesat tie runātāji, bet jūsu Tēva Gars ir tas, kas jūsos runā. 21 Bet brālis brāli nodos nāvē un tēvs dēlu; un bērni celsies pret vecākiem un tos nonāvēs. 22 Un jūs būsit visu ienīsti Mana Vārda dēļ. Bet, kas pastāv līdz galam, tas taps izglābts. 23 Bet, kad tie jūs vajā šinī pilsētā, tad bēdziet uz citu. Patiesi Es jums saku: jūs nebūsit vēl izstaigājuši Israēla pilsētas, tiekāms Cilvēka Dēls nāks. 24 Māceklis nav augstāks par savu mācītāju, nedz kalps par savu kungu. 25 Māceklim pietiek, ja tas top kā viņa mācītājs un kalps kā viņa kungs; ja tie nama kungu saukuši par Belcebulu, tad jo vairāk viņa saimi. 26 Tāpēc nebīstieties no tiem. Jo nekas nav apslēpts, kas nenāktu gaismā, nedz slepens, kas netaptu zināms. 27 Ko Es jums saku tumsā, to runājiet gaismā; un, kas jums ausī sacīts, to sludinait uz jumtiem. 28 Un nebīstieties no tiem, kas miesu nokauj un dvēseli nevar nokaut; bet bīstieties vairāk no tā, kas miesu un dvēseli var nomaitāt ellē. 29 Vai nepārdod divi zvirbuļus par vienu artavu? Un neviens no tiem nekrīt zemē bez jūsu Tēva. 30 Bet arī jūsu galvas mati visi ir skaitīti. 31 Tāpēc nebīstieties, jūs esat labāki nekā daudzi zvirbuļi. 32 Tad nu ikvienu, kas Mani apliecinās cilvēku priekšā, to arī Es apliecināšu Sava Tēva priekšā, kas ir debesīs. 33 Bet, kas Mani aizliegs cilvēku priekšā, to Es arīdzan aizliegšu Sava Tēva priekšā, kas ir debesīs. 34 Nedomājiet, ka Es esmu nācis mieru atnest virs zemes; Es neesmu nācis atnest mieru, bet zobenu. 35 Es esmu nācis cilvēku savest naidā ar viņa tēvu un meitu ar viņas māti, un vedeklu ar viņas vīramāti. 36 Un viņa paša māju ļaudis būs cilvēka ienaidnieki. 37 Kas tēvu vai māti vairāk mīl nekā Mani, tas Manis nav vērts, un, kas dēlu vai meitu vairāk mīl nekā Mani, tas Manis nav vērts. 38 Un, kas savu krustu neuzņemas un Man neseko, tas Manis nav vērts. 39 Kas savu dzīvību manto, tas to zaudēs, bet, kas savu dzīvību zaudē Manis dēļ, tas to iemantos. 40 Kas jūs uzņem, tas uzņem Mani, un, kas Mani uzņem, tas uzņem To, kas Mani sūtījis. 41 Kas uzņem pravieti pravieša vārdā, tas dabūs pravieša algu, un, kas uzņem taisnu taisnā vārdā, tas dabūs taisnā algu. 42 Un, kas dzirdinās vienu no šiem mazākajiem tikai ar kausu auksta ūdens mācekļa vārdā, patiesi Es jums saku: tam sava alga nezudīs."
