24. The Consecration of the Twelve

        ¹And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority, ²and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God^a and to heal. ⁵These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, ⁷“Preach as you go saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' ⁸Heal the sick. Freely you have received, freely give.”
        ⁹“Take no gold nor silver, nor copper in your belts, ¹⁰no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff. The laborer is worthy of his keep. ¹⁶Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be you therefore as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will castigate you in their synagogues. ¹⁸And you will be brought before governors and kings for a testimony. ¹⁹And when they deliver you up, be not anxious about what you are to say, ²⁰for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹Brother will deliver up brother to death and you will be hated by many for my sake.”
        ⁶And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel^b and healing everywhere.
        (Lk. 9:1–2; Mt. 10:5, 7–10, 16–21; Lk. 9:6)

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a   “he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God”—Jesus has selected and trained his twelve apostles. Now he is sending them out on their first preaching mission. Here is revealed the central and fundamental idea that Jesus directed his apostles to preach to the world—the kingdom of God, also known as the kingdom of heaven
        This kingdom is the rule of God in the heart of the individual believer. Jesus' kingdom is composed of those individuals who have faith in the heavenly Father and are led to choose and do their Father's will. (See also Ch. 22, fn. i; and Ch. 23, fn. d.)

b   “preaching the gospel”—The special and unique message Jesus sought to leave with us regarding the kingdom of God was known as the gospel of the kingdom. This gospel is the good news that God is our loving heavenly Father. When we believe this good news that God is our Father and we are his children, the Father's will becomes our will, and we achieve citizenship in the heavenly kingdom.

Lk. 9:1   authority, and / authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and (RSV)
Mt. 10:5   them, / them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, (RSV)
Mt. 10:7   Preach / And preach (RSV)
Mt. 10:8    (KJV) • sick. Freely you have / sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely ye have (KJV)
Mt. 10:10  The / for the (RSV) • laborer is worthy of his (KJV) / laborer deserves his (RSV) • his keep. (NIV) / his food. (RSV)
Mt. 10:16   (KJV) • be you therefore (RSV) / be ye therefore (KJV)
Mt. 10:17   (KJV) • will castigate you / will scourge you (KJV)
Mt. 10:18   (KJV) • And you will be (RSV) / And ye shall be (KJV) • testimony. / testimony against them and the Gentiles. (KJV)
Mt. 10:19  And when / When (RSV) • up, be not anxious about what / up, do not be anxious how you are to speak, or what (RSV)
Mt. 10:21  death and / death and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death and (RSV) • by many for / by all for (RSV) • my sake / my name's sake (RSV)   (140:9/1583–4)

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