Matthew 10:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

NIV: You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

NASB: And you will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

CSB: You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

NLT: And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.

KJV: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

NKJV: And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Jesus is describing to His twelve chosen apostles just how costly it will be for them to take His message into the world. He is describing a time after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven. He has said that the apostles will be arrested, flogged, and dragged before various courts. Worse, they can expect family members to turn against them or to turn against those who believe their message (Matthew 10:17–21).

Now Jesus says it even more bluntly: because of their association with Christ, these men will experience widespread, open hatred. This does not mean the apostles—or Christians—will be hated by literally every single non-believing person. Some would come to faith in Jesus in response to the gospel of His kingdom. Most, though, would not. It does mean that all kinds of people would hate the apostles: some for the content of their teaching about Jesus and others for the trouble that teaching stirred up wherever the apostles went (1 Peter 4:3–4; John 15:18–20).

History and tradition tell us that each of the apostles sent out by Jesus was persecuted and jailed. Most were killed for bearing His name. Still, Jesus now says that those of them who endure to the end will be saved. He does not mean that they will escape death at the hands of the persecutors. He means that by enduring all the way to the end of their lives in faithfulness to this mission He is giving them, they will enter immediately into salvation in His kingdom.

Matthew 10:16–25 follows Jesus' instructions to His twelve apostles, giving them guidance for their impending missionary journey. Here, He begins to describe events that will follow His own resurrection and return to heaven. When that time comes, the apostles will be arrested and dragged before various courts and officials because they represent Christ and insist that He is the Son of God. The Holy Spirit will speak through them about Jesus. They will run from one town to another to avoid persecution, spreading the good news about Christ as they go. Jesus was persecuted, so they will be, as well. Much as Jesus will do during the Last Supper (John 16:25–33), He will encourage these men to stand firm in their faith.

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.