Study Desk

"^(x)Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so ^[r]be ^(y)shrewd as serpents and ^(z)innocent as doves.

But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the ^(aa)courts and scourge you ^(ab)in their synagogues;

and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

^(ac)But when they hand you over, ^(ad)do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.

For ^(ae)it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

"^(af)Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and ^(ag)children will rise up against parents and ^[s]cause them to be put to death.

^(ah)You will be hated by all because of My name, but ^(ai)it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

"But whenever they ^(aj)persecute you in ^[t]one city, flee to ^[u]the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel ^(ak)until the Son of Man comes.

"^(al)A ^[v]disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.

It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. ^(am)If they have called the head of the house ^[w](an)Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!

"Therefore do not ^(ao)fear them, ^(ap)for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

^(aq)What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim ^(ar)upon the housetops.

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather ^(as)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in ^[x](at)hell.

^(au)Are not two sparrows sold for a ^[y]cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

But ^(av)the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

So do not fear; ^(aw)you are more valuable than many sparrows.

"Therefore ^(ax)everyone who ^[z]confesses Me before men, I will also confess ^[aa]him before My Father who is in heaven.

But ^(ay)whoever ^[ab]denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

"^(az)Do not think that I came to ^[ac]bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I came to ^(ba) set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law ;

and ^(bb) a man's enemies will be the members of his household .

"^(bc)He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

And ^(bd)he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

^(be)He who has found his ^[ad]life will lose it, and he who has lost his ^[ae]life for My sake will find it.