Matthew 10:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts,

NIV: "Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—

NASB: Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,

CSB: Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.

NLT: Don’t take any money in your money belts — no gold, silver, or even copper coins.

KJV: Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

NKJV: Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts,

Jesus is instructing the twelve apostles about how to carry out the mission He is giving to them. They are being sent to preach the gospel of Jesus and the kingdom of heaven. To do so, they will demonstrate its power with miracles of healing and casting out demons (Matthew 10:5–9).

The apostles have been ordered not to charge any money for this good news. In this case, this goes beyond the idea that the gospel, itself, is not "for sale." This is a specific mission with a specific purpose, and to accomplish that purpose, the apostles must demonstrate a radical dependence on God (Matthew 6:25–34). For this task, they are not to acquire gold, silver, or copper. These either represented money or metals that could be traded for cash, goods, or services.

In short, they are to take no material preparations of any kind; their needs will be met by God's provision through the people they serve.

Taken in context with Jesus' other words, and the teachings of the New Testament, it's clear this command applies only to this mission (Luke 22:35–41). Jesus' does not intend us to believe neither the disciples, nor modern believers, should ever gather resources for another mission. It does not mean missionaries or church leaders should rely on those they serve to provide all their needs. Jesus wanted these twelve men to learn to rely on God for what was needed on this missional outing.

Matthew 10:5–15 contains Jesus' instructions for His twelve apostles, for their missionary trip to the towns of Galilee, in northern Israel. Their mission will be to preach His message that the kingdom of heaven is near, while also healing people and casting out demons. The apostles must not take with them extra money or clothes. Instead, they will stay with those who are worthy in each town they visit. If nobody in a town believes their message, the disciples are to shake the dust of that town from their feet. Jesus will follow these instructions with a series of warnings and encouragements.

Jesus gives His authority over disease, demons, and even death to His twelve hand-picked apostles. He gives them instructions in preparation both for a short-term trip to the towns of Galilee and their ministry after He has left the earth. First, they will preach His message of the kingdom in Israelite towns as they heal and cast out demons to demonstrate His power. Later, they will suffer great persecution as they represent Him before both Jews and Gentiles. They should not be afraid, though, and trust their Father to be with them and to reward them.

Jesus has recently expressed compassion for the people of Israel, who are spiritually lost. Matthew 10 is a record of Jesus' instructions to His twelve core apostles, as He sends them on a short-term trip to the towns of Galilee. He also includes warnings and encouragements about the persecution they will eventually experience. In chapter 11, Jesus will continue to proclaim truth to the people of Israel, leading to further conflict with local religious leaders.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.