Matthew 10:16 BSB — MannaFest

Matthew 10:16

Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

KJV

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

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Commentary

5 voices

Jerome

Catena Aurea by Aquinas (420)

He calls the Scribes and Pharisees who are the clergy of the Jews, wolves. Wise, that they might escape snares; simple, that they might not do evil to others. The craft of the serpent is set before them as an example, for he hides his head with all the rest of his body, that he may protect the part in which life is. So ought we to expose our whole body, that we may guard our head which is Christ; that is, that we study to keep the faith whole and uncorrupt.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

Behold, I send you forth, as sheep among wolves,.... This, and the following verses, chiefly respect the troubles, afflictions, persecutions, and sufferings which should befall the apostles after the death and resurrection of Christ; when their commission was enlarged, and they afresh sent out by Christ to preach his Gospel; of which he gives a faithful account before hand, that they might be prepared for them, and not be surprised when they came upon them.

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Behold, 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 (φρονιμοι prudent) as serpents, and harmless as doves - This is a proverbial saying: so in Shir hashirim Rabba, fol.

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

(1877)

Modern Voices1 voice

Nik Ripken

The Insanity of Obedience: Walking with Jesus in Tough Places (2014)

We go on His terms, not ours. If we go at all, we go as sheep among wolves.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

20 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ἰδοὺ	idou	Behold	G2400 →
ἐγὼ	egō	I myself	G1473 →
ἀποστέλλω	apostellō	send forth	G649 →
ὑμᾶς	humas	you	G4771 →
ὡς	hōs	as	G5613 →
πρόβατα	probata	sheep	G4263 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
μέσῳ	mesō	[the] midst	G3319 →
λύκων·	lukōn	of wolves;	G3074 →
γίνεσθε	ginesthe	do be	G1096 →
οὖν	oun	therefore	G3767 →
φρόνιμοι	phronimoi	shrewd	G5429 →
ὡς	hōs	as	G5613 →
οἱ	hoi	the	G3588 →
ὄφεις	opheis	serpents	G3789 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ἀκέραιοι	akeraioi	innocent	G185 →
ὡς	hōs	as	G5613 →
αἱ	hai	the	G3588 →
περιστεραί.¶	peristerai	doves.	G4058 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Colossians 4:5
Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
leads to
- Ephesians 5:15–17
  Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Romans 16:19
  Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- James 3:13
  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12
  Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.
- James 3:17
  But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
Through
Philippians 2:15
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
leads to
- Matthew 5:14–16
  You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
- 1 Peter 2:12
  Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
- Matthew 5:45
  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.