The Twelve Apostles

(Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16)

1And having called to him his twelve disciples, he gave to them power over unclean spirits, so as to be casting them out, and to be healing every sickness, and every malady.

2And of the twelve apostles the names are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax-gatherer; James of Alpheus, and Lebbeus who was surnamed Thaddeus; 4Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who did also deliver him up.

The Ministry of the Twelve

(Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6)

5These twelve did Jesus send forth, having given command to them, saying, ‘To the way of the nations go not away, and into a city of the Samaritans go not in, 6and be going rather unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7‘And, going on, proclaim saying that, the reign of the heavens hath come nigh; 8infirm ones be healing, lepers be cleansing, dead be raising, demons be casting out — freely ye did receive, freely give. 9‘Provide not gold, nor silver, nor brass in your girdles, 10nor scrip for the way, nor two coats, nor sandals, nor staff — for the workman is worthy of his nourishment. 11‘And into whatever city or village ye may enter, inquire ye who in it is worthy, and there abide, till ye may go forth. 12And coming to the house salute it, 13and if indeed the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; and if it be not worthy, let your peace turn back to you. 14‘And whoever may not receive you nor hear your words, coming forth from that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet, 15verily I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

Comfort in Persecution

(2 Timothy 1:6-12)

16‘Lo, I do send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye therefore wise as the serpents, and simple as the doves. 17And, take ye heed of men, for they will give you up to sanhedrims, and in their synagogues they will scourge you, 18and before governors and kings ye shall be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. 19‘And whenever they may deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye may speak, for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak; 20for ye are not the speakers, but the Spirit of your Father that is speaking in you.

21‘And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and father child, and children shall rise up against parents, and shall put them to death, 22and ye shall be hated by all because of my name, but he who hath endured to the end, he shall be saved.

23‘And whenever they may persecute you in this city, flee to the other, for verily I say to you, ye may not have completed the cities of Israel till the Son of Man may come.

24‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his lord; 25sufficient to the disciple that he may be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord; if the master of the house they did call Beelzeboul, how much more those of his household?

Fearing God Alone

(Luke 12:4-7)

26‘Ye may not, therefore, fear them, for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, and hid, that shall not be known; 27that which I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light, and that which you hear at the ear, proclaim on the house-tops. 28‘And be not afraid of those killing the body, and are not able to kill the soul, but fear rather Him who is able both soul and body to destroy in gehenna. 29‘Are not two sparrows sold for an assar? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father; 30and of you — even the hairs of the head are all numbered; 31be not therefore afraid, than many sparrows ye are better.

Confessing Christ

(Luke 12:8-12)

32‘Every one, therefore, who shall confess in me before men, I also will confess in him before my Father who is in the heavens; 33and whoever shall deny me before men, I also will deny him before my Father who is in the heavens.

The Sword of the Gospel

(Luke 12:49-53)

34‘Ye may not suppose that I came to put peace on the earth; I did not come to put peace, but a sword; 35for I came to set a man at variance against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 36and the enemies of a man are those of his household.

Take up Your Cross

(Matthew 16:24-28; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:23-27)

37‘He who is loving father or mother above me, is not worthy of me, and he who is loving son or daughter above me, is not worthy of me, 38and whoever doth not receive his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. 39‘He who found his life shall lose it, and he who lost his life for my sake shall find it.

The Reward of Service

(2 Kings 4:8-17)

40‘He who is receiving you doth receive me, and he who is receiving me doth receive Him who sent me, 41he who is receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who is receiving a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man’s reward, 42and whoever may give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say to you, he may not lose his reward.’