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5 Jesus sent these twelve out after he had instructed them, “Do not go into Gentile territory or into a Samaritan town. 6 Go rather after the lost sheep of the House of Israel. 7 Preach as you go and tell people that the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near. 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, so freely you must give. 9 Do not take gold or silver or bronze in your purse, 10 nor a traveler’s bag, nor a second tunic, nor sandals, nor a staff, for a worker deserves his keep. 11 Whenever you enter a town or village, inquire who there is a worthy person, and stay with them until you leave. 12 Greet the family as you enter the home. 13 May your peace spread to the family if it is worthy; if it is not, may your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that house or village and shake the dust off of your feet as you go. 15 Amen I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than for that town. 16 See, I am sending you like sheep among wolves, so take care that you be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17 Be cautious of people: they will hand you over to courts and whip you in their synagogues. 18 On account of me, you will be brought before governors and kings, so that you may be witnesses to them and to the nations. 19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 It will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Comments

Having chosen the twelve, Jesus now sends them out to preach, teach, and heal in the towns and villages of Galilee. Though his order to avoid Samaritans and Gentiles may sound harsh and exclusionary, it is less about exclusion than sequence: the Gospel is to be preached first to the Jewish people, and then to the related Samaritans, and then to the rest of the world (cf. Acts 1.8). The apostles are to set out with almost no supplies, relying on providence and the goodwill of those to whom they minister. Their work will be delicate and dangerous, requiring them to balance sincerity with shrewd practicality. Jesus warns them that the Gospel will engender hostility, and they may find themselves hauled into courts and synagogues (ancient synagogues were not just houses of worship, but all-purpose community centers where, among a variety of other functions, criminal cases could be adjudicated and corporal punishment delivered). Even this will be an opportunity for bearing witness and evangelization, and the apostles are to trust that the Holy Spirit will give them the words to say.