16"Look, I myself am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be therefore shrewd as the serpents and innocent as the doves. [10:17] Beware however of men, for they will deliver you into councils, and in their synagogues they will flog you. [10:18] And before governors and kings you will be brought on account of me, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. [10:19] When then they deliver you up, do not be anxious how or what you may speak, for it will be given to you in that very hour what you may speak. [10:20] For it is not you yourselves who are the ones speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who is speaking through you. [10:21] Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and father child; and children will rise up against parents and will put them to death. [10:22] And you will be hated by all on account of my name; but the one who has endured to the end — this one will be saved. [10:23] Whenever then they persecute you in this city, flee to a different one; for amen I say to you, you shall certainly not have completed the cities of Israel until the Son of Man may come. [10:24] A disciple is not above the teacher, nor is a slave above his master. [10:25] It is sufficient for the disciple that he may become as his teacher, and the slave as his master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!"
MAT 10:16-25
Sheep among Wolves
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Roman Empire, the metaphor of sheep among wolves would resonate deeply with agrarian audiences familiar with the vulnerability of sheep to predators. The instruction to be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves draws on cultural associations: serpents symbolized cunning and survival, while doves represented purity and harmlessness. The warning about being delivered to courts and synagogues reflects the reality of Jewish communal discipline, where local councils and synagogues exercised judicial authority, including flogging as a form of punishment. The mention of governors and kings highlights the broader Roman legal system, where provincial rulers like Herod Antipas or Roman procurators could adjudicate cases. The promise of the Spirit’s guidance in such trials aligns with Jewish apocalyptic expectations, where divine intervention was anticipated in moments of persecution. The reference to (slave) underscores the subordinate status of disciples in relation to their master, Jesus, evoking the honor-shame dynamics of the Greco-Roman household.
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How other translations render this
MAT 10:16
- KJV
- Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
- BSB
- Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
- Koinōnos
- Look, I myself am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be therefore shrewd as the serpents and innocent as the doves.
MAT 10:17
- KJV
- But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
- BSB
- But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
- Koinōnos
- Beware however of men, for they will deliver you into councils, and in their synagogues they will flog you.
MAT 10:18
- KJV
- And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
- BSB
- On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
- Koinōnos
- And before governors and kings you will be brought on account of me, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
MAT 10:19
- KJV
- But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
- BSB
- But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.
- Koinōnos
- When then they deliver you up, do not be anxious how or what you may speak, for it will be given to you in that very hour what you may speak.
MAT 10:20
- KJV
- For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
- BSB
- For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
- Koinōnos
- For it is not you yourselves who are the ones speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who is speaking through you.
MAT 10:21
- KJV
- And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
- BSB
- Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
- Koinōnos
- Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and father child; and children will rise up against parents and will put them to death.
MAT 10:22
- KJV
- And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
- BSB
- You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- Koinōnos
- And you will be hated by all on account of my name; but the one who has endured to the end — this one will be saved.
MAT 10:23
- KJV
- But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
- BSB
- When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- Koinōnos
- Whenever then they persecute you in this city, flee to a different one; for amen I say to you, you shall certainly not have completed the cities of Israel until the Son of Man may come.
MAT 10:24
- KJV
- The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
- BSB
- A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
- Koinōnos
- A disciple is not above the teacher, nor is a slave above his master.
MAT 10:25
- KJV
- It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
- BSB
- It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
- Koinōnos
- It is sufficient for the disciple that he may become as his teacher, and the slave as his master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 10:16
- shrewd:The word translated 'shrewd' here implies a practical intelligence and presence of mind, especially in difficult situations, rather than cunning or craftiness.
- innocent:The term translated 'innocent' suggests being unmixed or unadulterated, like pure metal, implying a simple, uncorrupted integrity rather than merely being guiltless.
MAT 10:17
- courts:The word translated 'courts' refers to a council or assembly, often a judicial body, indicating a formal gathering for deliberation or judgment.
MAT 10:24
- a servant:The word translated 'a servant' more accurately refers to a 'slave' or 'bondservant,' someone who is legally owned and completely subject to another's will.