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Complete Jewish Bible
Matthew 10:16
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“Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.
Behold, I send you foorth as sheepe in the middest of wolues: be yee therefore wise as serpents, and harmelesse as doues.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as wary as serpents, and as innocent as doves.
"Listen, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as clever as snakes and as innocent as doves.
"Listen carefully: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves [have no self-serving agenda].
Behold, I send you as sheepe in the middes of the wolues: be yee therefore wise as serpents, and innocent as doues.
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Behold, *I* send you as sheep in the midst of wolves; be therefore prudent as the serpents, and guileless as the doves.
"Listen! I am sending you, and you will be like sheep among wolves. So be smart like snakes. But also be like doves and don't hurt anyone.
Behold, I am sending you like lambs among the wolves; therefore be wise as serpents, and pure as doves.
"Listen! I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must be as cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves.
"Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
See, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Be then as wise as snakes, and as gentle as doves.
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
"See, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves.Luke 10:3; Romans 16:19; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Ephesians 5:15; Philippians 2:15;">[xr]
LO, I send you forth as sheep among wolves: be you, therefore, wise as serpents and guileless as doves.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep among wolves. Therefore be ye sagacious as serpents, and guileless as doves.
Beholde, I sende you foorth, as sheepe in the middest of woolfes. Be ye therfore wyse as serpentes, and harmelesse as doues.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
"Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves.
Lo! Y sende you as scheep in the myddil of wolues; therfor be ye sliy as serpentis, and symple as dowues.
Look, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
"I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Mark 13:9-13; Luke 21:12-17">[xr] "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
"Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
"I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all around you. Be wise like snakes and gentle like doves.
"See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Lo! I, send you forth as sheep amidst wolves; become ye therefore - prudent, as serpents, and simple, as doves.
Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Beholde I sende you forthe as shepe amoge wolves. Be ye therfore wyse as serpetes and innocent as doves.
`Lo, I do send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye therefore wise as the serpents, and simple as the doves.
Beholde, I sende you forth as shepe amoge wolues. Be ye therfore wyse as serpentes, and innocent as doues.
By your mission you will be expos'd like sheep in the midst of wolves: be then as circumspect as serpents, and as inoffensive as doves:
"Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.
I'm sendin' y'all out like steaks to hungry coyotes. Y'all will need to be savvy as horse traders, but innocent as the day you were born.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
as sheep: Luke 10:3, Acts 20:29
wise: Genesis 3:1, Genesis 3:13, Luke 21:15, Romans 16:19, 1 Corinthians 14:20, 2 Corinthians 11:3, 2 Corinthians 11:14, Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 1:9, Colossians 4:5
harmless: or, simple, Romans 16:18, Romans 16:19, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians 8:20, 2 Corinthians 11:3, Philippians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Reciprocal: Genesis 8:8 - a dove Genesis 23:17 - made sure Genesis 32:7 - and he Genesis 32:8 - General Genesis 32:16 - space Genesis 37:13 - come Genesis 44:2 - General Genesis 49:27 - at night Leviticus 5:7 - two turtledoves Deuteronomy 20:3 - let not Joshua 2:1 - to spy secretly Joshua 7:2 - Go up Joshua 8:5 - that we will Joshua 9:4 - work wilily 1 Samuel 16:2 - How can I go 1 Samuel 18:5 - wisely 1 Samuel 24:22 - David and 1 Samuel 25:36 - she told him 1 Samuel 26:4 - General 2 Samuel 2:6 - I also 2 Samuel 15:11 - their simplicity 2 Samuel 15:34 - return 2 Samuel 17:22 - and they passed 2 Kings 9:3 - and flee 2 Chronicles 23:2 - went about Ezra 4:3 - king Cyrus Nehemiah 2:12 - neither Nehemiah 4:13 - Therefore Nehemiah 6:3 - And I sent Nehemiah 7:3 - Let not the gates Esther 2:10 - had not showed Esther 5:1 - royal Psalms 74:19 - turtledove Psalms 120:6 - soul Proverbs 13:16 - prudent Proverbs 16:20 - handleth Ecclesiastes 10:10 - wisdom Song of Solomon 2:2 - General Song of Solomon 2:14 - my dove Jeremiah 36:14 - took Jeremiah 40:16 - Thou shalt Ezekiel 2:4 - they Micah 7:5 - ye not in Habakkuk 1:3 - General Matthew 21:24 - I also Matthew 22:22 - they marvelled Matthew 23:34 - I send Luke 21:12 - before John 2:24 - did John 7:10 - not John 8:6 - as though John 10:12 - the wolf coming John 17:11 - but John 20:21 - as Acts 4:3 - laid Acts 9:13 - Lord Acts 9:23 - the Jews Acts 16:19 - they Acts 16:37 - let Acts 23:6 - Paul Acts 23:17 - one Galatians 2:2 - I should 1 Thessalonians 3:3 - we are 2 Timothy 4:15 - be
Cross-References
The people of Binyamin did not drive out the Y'vusi who inhabited Yerushalayim; rather, the Y'vusi continued living with the people of Binyamin in Yerushalayim, as they do to this day.
Gad came to David that day and said to him, "Go, set up an altar to Adonai on the threshing-floor of Aravnah the Y'vusi."
I will end their eating meat with its blood still in it, snatching the disgusting things from between their teeth." But the surviving remnant will belong to our God; it will be like a clan in Y'hudah; and ‘Ekron will be like a Y'vusi.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
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. He compares them to "sheep", because they were meek and humble in their spirits, harmless, and inoffensive, in their lives and conversations; were weak, and unable to protect themselves, and were sent out by him unarmed and defenceless; and their oppressors and persecutors to "wolves", because fierce and furious, voracious and ravenous, cruel and hurtful, as these creatures are, especially to sheep; wherefore Christ gives them this wholesome advice,
be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Much such an expression as this God is represented as saying of Israel a:
"Says R. Judah, in the name of R. Simon, the holy blessed God said, concerning Israel, with me they are ×××× ××
ת×××××, "harmless as doves"; but among the nations of the world, they are ער×××× ×× ×ש××, "subtle as serpents".''
The serpent is a very sharp sighted, cunning creature, and uses various arts and stratagems for its own preservation, and especially of its head; and is so far to be imitated by the followers of Christ, as to make use of all proper methods to preserve themselves from the insults and rage of men, and not expose themselves to unnecessary dangers: and, as much as in them lies, they should be careful to give no just occasion of offence, or irritate, and provoke them to use them ill, and to avoid all snares and traps that are laid for them; and, at the same time, maintain the innocence and harmlessness of the dove, being free from all wicked cunning and craftiness, without rancour, malice, and wrath; not meditating and seeking revenge, but meek and humble in their deportment, leading inoffensive lives, and proceeding in the course of their calling, though liable to many insults, and much oppression.
a Shirhashirim Rabba, c. 2. 14. fol. 12. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
As sheep in the midst of wolves - That is, I send you, inoffensive and harmless, into a cold, unfriendly, and cruel world. Your innocence will not be a protection.
Be wise as serpents ... - Serpents have always been an emblem of wisdom and cunning, Genesis 3:1. The Egyptians used the serpent in their hieroglyphics as a symbol of wisdom. Probably the thing in which Christ directed his followers to imitate the serpent was in its caution in avoiding danger. No animal equals them in the rapidity and skill which they evince in escaping danger. So said Christ to his disciples, You need caution and wisdom in the midst of a world that will seek your lives. He directs them, also, to be harmless, not to provoke danger, not to do injury, and thus make their fellow-men justly enraged against them. Doves are, and always have been, a striking emblem of innocence. Most people would foolishly destroy a serpent, be it ever so harmless, yet few are so hard-hearted as to kill a dove.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 10:16. 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 labour, 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 (ÏÏονιμοι prudent) as serpents, and harmless as doves. — This is a proverbial saying: so in Shir hashirim Rabba, fol. 16, "The holy blessed God said to the Israelites, Ye shall be towards me as upright as the doves; but, towards the Gentiles, as cunning as serpents."
There is a beauty in this saying which is seldom observed. The serpent is represented as prudent to excess, being full of cunning, Genesis 3:1; 2 Corinthians 11:3; and the dove is simple, even to stupidity, Hosea 7:11; but Jesus Christ corrects here the cunning of the serpent, by the simplicity of the dove; and the too great simplicity of the dove, by the cunning of the serpent. For a fine illustration of this text, see the account of the Boiga:-
"This species is remarkably beautiful, combining the richest colours of the finest gems with the splendour of burnished gold, mingled with dark brown shades, which contrast and heighten its brilliant ornaments. The whole under surface of the head and body is of a silver white, separated from the changing blue of the back by a golden chain on each side, the whole length of the body. This fine blue and silver, ornamented with gold, by no means give a full idea of the beautiful embroidery of the boiga. We must take in all the reflected tints of silver colour, golden yellow, red, blue, green, and black, mingled, and changing in the most extraordinary and beautiful manner possible; so that, when about to change its skin, it seems studded with a mixed assemblage of diamonds, emeralds, topazes, sapphires, and rubies, under a thin transparent veil of bluish crystal. Thus, in the rich and torrid plains of India, where the most splendid gems abound, nature seems to have chosen to reunite them all, together with the noble metals, to adorn the brilliant robe of the boiga. This is one of the most slender of serpents in proportion to its length. The specimens in the royal collection, which exceed three feet in length, are hardly a few lines in diameter. The tail is almost as long as the body, and at the end is like a needle for fineness; yet it is sometimes flattened above, below, and on the two sides, rendering it in some measure square. From the delicacy of its form, its movements are necessarily extremely agile; so that, doubling itself up several times, it can spring to a considerable distance, with great swiftness. It can twine and twist itself, most readily, and nimbly, around trees or other such bodies; climbing, or descending, or suspending itself, with the utmost facility. The boiga feeds on small birds, which it swallows very easily, notwithstanding the small diameter of its body, in consequence of the great distensibility of its jaws, throat, and stomach, common to it with other serpents. It conceals itself under the foliage of trees, on purpose to surprise the small birds, and is said to attract them by a peculiar kind of whistling, to which the term of song has been applied; but we must consider this as an exaggeration, as its long divided tongue, and the conformation of its other organs of sound, are only adapted for producing a hiss, or species of simple whistle, instead of forming a melodious assemblage of tones. Yet, if nature has not reckoned the boiga among the songsters of the woods, it seems to possess a more perfect instinct than other serpents, joined to more agile movements, and more magnificent ornament. In the isle of Borneo, the children play with the boiga, without the smallest dread. They carry it in their hands, as innocent as themselves, and twist it about their necks, arms, and bodies, in a thousand directions. This circumstance brings to recollection that fine emblem of Candour and Confidence imagined by the genius of the ancients: a child smiling on a snake, which holds him fast in his convolutions. But, in that beautiful allegory, the snake is supposed to conceal a deadly poison; while the boiga returns caress for caress to the Indian children who fondle it, and seems pleased to be twisted about their delicate hands. As the appearance of such nimble and innocent animals in the forests must be extremely beautiful, displaying their splendid colours, and gliding swiftly from branch to branch, without possessing the smallest noxious quality, we might regret that this species should require a degree of heat greatly superior to that of our regions, and that it can only subsist near the tropics, in Asia, Africa, and America. It has usually a hundred and sixty-six large plates, and a hundred and twenty-eight pairs of small plates, but is subject to considerable variation.
"According to this representation, the boiga is not merely to be praised for its beauty, but may be said to fulfil the old maxim of combining the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove." Cepede's Hist. of Oviparous Quadrupeds and Serpents.
Instead of ακεÏαιοι, harmless, or as the Etymol. Mag. defines it, without mixture of evil, the Cod. Bezae reads αÏÎ»Î¿Ï ÏÏαÏοι, simple - uncompounded, - so all the copies of the old Itala, the Vulgate, and the Latin fathers; but this curious and explanatory reading is found in no other Greek MS.
