Matthew 10:16

Matthew 10:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
• New International Version (NIV)“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Context of Matthew 10:16

14If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues. 18You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.

Matthew 10:16 word by word

ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω ὑμᾶς ὡς πρόβατα ἐν μέσῳ λύκων· γίνεσθε οὖν φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• sendἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
• youσύsu · youG4771
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• sheepπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the midstμέσοςmesos · midstG3319
• of wolvesλύκοςlukos · wolfG3074
• be yeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• wiseφρόνιμοςphronimos · thoughtfulG5429
• serpentsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• serpentsὄφιςophis · snakeG3789
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• harmlessἀκέραιοςakeraios · innocentG185
• dovesπεριστεράperistera · doveG4058

Cross-references for Matthew 10:16

• Luke 10:3Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves.
• Acts 20:29I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
• Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”
• Luke 21:15for I will give you such words and a wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
• Romans 16:19The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.
• 2 Corinthians 11:3But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
• Ephesians 5:15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk — not as unwise people but as wise —
• Colossians 1:9For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
• Colossians 4:5Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.
• Romans 16:18because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom but by God’s grace.
• 2 Corinthians 8:20We are taking this precaution so that no one will criticize us about this large sum that we are administering.
• Philippians 2:15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world,
• 1 Thessalonians 2:10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves with you believers.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22Stay away from every kind of evil.

Commentaries on Matthew 10:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves - He who is called to preach the Gospel is called to embrace a state of constant labor, and frequent suffering. He who gets ease and pleasure, in consequence of embracing the ministerial office, neither preaches the Gospel, nor is sent of God. If he did the work of an evangelist, wicked men and demons would both oppose him. Wise ( prudent) as serpents, and harmless as doves - This is a proverbial…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16As sheep in the midst of wolves - That is, I send you, inoffensive and harmless, into a cold, unfriendly, and cruel world. Your innocence will not be a protection. Be wise as serpents … - Serpents have always been an emblem of wisdom and cunning, Genesis 3:1. The Egyptians used the serpent in their hieroglyphics as a symbol of wisdom. Probably the thing in which Christ directed his followers to imitate the serpent was in its caution in avoiding danger. No…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-42Verses 16-42 Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with worldly or political concerns, all appearance of evil or selfishness, and all underhand measures. Christ foretold troubles, not only that the troubles might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith. He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Scripture often compares false leaders who exploit people’s spiritual weakness, instead of giving proper care, to wolves (Ezekiel 22:27; Zephaniah 3:3; compare Proverbs 28:15). be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves: This proverb means to be wise and careful, but not deceitful or violent.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Behold, I send you forth--The "I" here is emphatic, holding up Himself as the Fountain of the Gospel ministry, as He is also the Great Burden of it. as sheep--defenseless. in the midst of wolves--ready to make a prey of you (Joh 10:12). To be left exposed, as sheep to wolves, would have been startling enough; but that the sheep should be sent among the wolves would sound strange indeed. No wonder this announcement begins with the exclamation…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 10:16

• Commandments
• Dove, Turtle
• Minister, Christian
• Persecution
• Serpent
• Sheep
• Wolf

In the dictionaries

• Cattle
• Confess
• Darkness
• Freely
• Hell
• Preach
• Provide
• Scrip
• Set
• Sword

Commentaries on Matthew 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings