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

14And whoever will not receive you or listen to your words, as you leave that house or that town, shake the dust off your feet. 15Amen, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that town. “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues. 18You will be brought before governors and kings because of Me, as a 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 10:3“Go forth! Look, I am sending you as lambs in the midst of wolves.
• Acts 20:29I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
• Genesis 3:1But the serpent was shrewder than any animal of the field that Adonai Elohim made. So it said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from all the trees of the garden’?”
• Luke 21:15for I Myself will give you speech and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.
• Romans 16:19Your obedience has become known to all, so I rejoice over you—but I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, stop being children in your thinking—rather, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
• 2 Corinthians 11:3But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds might be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion and purity to the Messiah.
• Ephesians 5:15So pay close attention to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise.
• Colossians 1:9For this reason also, ever since we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We keep asking God that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding—
• Colossians 4:5Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
• Romans 16:18For such people do not serve our Lord the Messiah, but only their own belly. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12For our reason for boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world, and most especially toward you, with simplicity and godly sincerity—not by human wisdom but by the grace of God.
• 2 Corinthians 8:20We are taking this precaution, so that no one will blame us in regard to the way we administer this generous gift.
• Philippians 2:15so that you might be blameless and innocent, children of God in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. Among them you shine as lights in the world,
• 1 Thessalonians 2:10You are witnesses, along with God, of how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we behaved toward you who believe.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22keep 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