Matthew 10:16

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Persecution of Disciples“I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Luke 10:3 : 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs surrounded by wolves.
  • Acts 20:29 : 29 I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
  • 1 Cor 14:20 : 20 Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Instead, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
  • Phil 2:15 : 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world
  • 2 Cor 11:3 : 3 But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
  • Col 4:5 : 5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities.
  • Gen 3:1 : 1 The Temptation and the Fall Now the serpent was more shrewd than any of the wild animals that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman,“Is it really true that God said,‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?”
  • Rom 16:18-19 : 18 For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive. 19 Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
  • Eph 5:15-17 : 15 Live Wisely Therefore consider carefully how you live– not as unwise but as wise, 16 taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is.
  • 1 Thess 2:10 : 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe.
  • 1 Thess 5:22 : 22 Stay away from every form of evil.
  • 2 Cor 11:14 : 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
  • Col 1:9 : 9 Paul’s Prayer for the Growth of the Church For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
  • 2 Cor 1:12 : 12 Paul Defends His Changed Plans For our reason for confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives and sincerity which are from God– not by human wisdom but by the grace of God– we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more toward you.
  • 2 Cor 8:20 : 20 We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.
  • Gen 3:13 : 13 So the LORD God said to the woman,“What is this you have done?” And the woman replied,“The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”
  • Luke 21:15 : 15 For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Luke 10:3-4
    2 verses
    87%

    3Go! I am sending you out like lambs surrounded by wolves.

    4Do not carry a money bag, a traveler’s bag, or sandals, and greet no one on the road.

  • Matt 10:17-19
    3 verses
    80%

    17Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues.

    18And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and to the Gentiles.

    19Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time.

  • Matt 7:15-16
    2 verses
    76%

    15A Tree and Its Fruit“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.

    16You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?

  • Matt 10:14-15
    2 verses
    74%

    14And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or that town.

    15I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!

  • Mark 13:9-11
    3 verses
    73%

    9Persecution of Disciples“You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over to councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them.

    10First the gospel must be preached to all nations.

    11When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

  • Matt 23:33-34
    2 verses
    72%

    33You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

    34“For this reason I am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town,

  • Matt 10:5-7
    3 verses
    72%

    5Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows:“Do not go on a road that leads to Gentile regions and do not enter any Samaritan town.

    6Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

    7As you go, preach this message:‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’

  • Matt 7:6
    72%

    6Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.

  • Matt 10:22-23
    2 verses
    72%

    22And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved!

    23Whenever they persecute you in one town, flee to another! I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

  • Acts 20:29
    71%

    29I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

  • Luke 10:19
    71%

    19Look, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and on the full force of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you.

  • John 10:11-12
    2 verses
    70%

    11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

    12The hired hand, who is not a shepherd and does not own sheep, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them.

  • Mark 14:27
    69%

    27The Prediction of Peter’s Denial Then Jesus said to them,“You will all fall away, for it is written,‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

  • Luke 12:11
    69%

    11But when they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense or what you should say,

  • Jer 8:17
    68%

    17The LORD says,“Yes indeed, I am sending an enemy against you that will be like poisonous snakes which cannot be charmed away. And they will inflict fatal wounds on you.”

  • Matt 5:11-12
    2 verses
    68%

    11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.

    12Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

  • Matt 10:27-28
    2 verses
    68%

    27What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.

    28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

  • Luke 10:10
    68%

    10But whenever you enter a town and the people do not welcome you, go into its streets and say,

  • Luke 21:16
    68%

    16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will have some of you put to death.

  • Luke 21:12
    68%

    12But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

  • John 16:1-2
    2 verses
    68%

    1“I have told you all these things so that you will not fall away.

    2They will put you out of the synagogue, yet a time is coming when the one who kills you will think he is offering service to God.

  • Luke 10:8
    68%

    8Whenever you enter a town and the people welcome you, eat what is set before you.

  • Luke 6:22
    68%

    22“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man!

  • Mark 6:10
    67%

    10He said to them,“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the area.

  • John 15:20
    67%

    20Remember what I told you,‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too.

  • Matt 26:31
    67%

    31The Prediction of Peter’s Denial Then Jesus said to them,“This night you will all fall away because of me, for it is written:‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

  • John 10:16
    67%

    16I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold. I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd.

  • Matt 15:14
    67%

    14Leave them! They are blind guides. If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.”

  • John 10:8
    67%

    8All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

  • Matt 25:32
    67%

    32All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

  • Luke 3:7
    67%

    7So John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him,“You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

  • Luke 9:5
    67%

    5Wherever they do not receive you, as you leave that town, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

  • Mark 16:18
    67%

    18they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.”

  • Matt 18:10
    67%

    10The Parable of the Lost Sheep“See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

  • Matt 24:9
    67%

    9Persecution of Disciples“Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations because of my name.