Matthew Chapter 10 Empowered to Preach, Teach and Heal 10:1. Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness. The time had now come for Jesus to send out the disciples on their own, so he calls them together and imparts to them power over evil spirits and power to heal every kind of sickness. 10:2-4 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. In these verses Matthew lists the names of the twelve disciples (from now on designated apostles) to whom Jesus gave this power. He emphasizes that Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus was given the same power and sent forth with the others. As far as we know Judas did the same miracles as the other disciples. 10:5-6 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows: "Do not go to Gentile regions and do not enter any Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The disciples were not to go anywhere that they choose to; Jesus specifically tells to go only to the Jews,
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