Matthew 10:16

Persecution of Disciples

10:16 “I ¹  am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, ²  so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Matthew 10:1

Sending Out the Twelve Apostles

10:1 Jesus ³  called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits ⁴  so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness. ⁵ 

Colossians 1:26

1:26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.

Philippians 2:16

2:16 by holding on to ⁶  the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.

Philippians 2:1

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ⁷  any affection or mercy, ⁸ 

Philippians 3:5

3:5 I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. ⁹ 

¹ tn Grk “Behold I.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

² sn This imagery of wolves is found in intertestamental Judaism; see Pss. Sol. 8:23, 30.

³ tn Grk “And he.”

⁴ sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.

⁵ tn Grk “and every [kind of] sickness.” Here “every” was not repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁶ tn Or “holding out, holding forth.”

⁷ tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

⁸ tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

⁹ sn A Pharisee was a member of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.