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Matthew 10:5
ESV These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,
NIV These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.
NASB These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, 'Do not go on a road to Gentiles, and do not enter a city of Samaritans;
CSB Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: "Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan town.
NLT Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: 'Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans,
KJV These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
NKJV These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.

What does Matthew 10:5 mean?

Jesus begins to give to His twelve apostles (Matthew 10:1–4) very specific instructions about the what, where, why, and how He is sending them out. His first direction is simple: they are not to take this message to Gentiles or Samaritans. That restriction only applies to this particular mission; later, Jesus will send His apostles out to the entire world (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8).

Christ was sending the Twelve out into the towns and cities of Galilee in northern Israel. Galilee was surrounded by Gentile territories. These were largely pagan in their belief systems, worshipping idols and false gods. Jesus' first mission was to call Israel to repentance and faith in Himself (Matthew 15:24). Only after His death and resurrection would the disciples begin to preach to the Gentiles, as well.

Jesus also told the disciples to stay out of the Samaritan towns to the south. The Samaritans were a mixed-race people after intermarrying with Gentiles following the Assyrian invasion in 722 B.C. Intermarriage was forbidden by the law of Moses. In addition, the Samaritans had changed some specific parts of the Law, including where God should be worshiped (John 4:20). Jesus would later introduce the gospel to the Samaritans through the woman at the well (John 4:1–42), but He was sending His disciples only to the people of Israel.
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