Jesus selected twelve apostles and instructed them before sending them out to various places.

Matthew 10:1-15

10 He told us twelve disciples to come to him. Then he gave us the power/authority to expel evil spirits that controlled people. He also enabled us to heal all people who had diseases or who were sick. 2 Here is a list of us twelve disciples whom he called apostles (which means ‘messengers’): Simon, to whom he gave the new name Peter; Andrew, Peter’s younger brother; James, the son of Zebedee; John, the younger brother of James; 3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; me, Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alpheus; Thaddeus; 4 Simon, a member of the party that wanted to overthrow the Roman government; and Judas Iscariot (OR, Judas, the man from Kerioth Town), who later enabled the Jewish leaders to seize Jesus.

5 When Jesus was about to send us twelve apostles to tell his message to people in various places, he gave us these instructions: “Do not go where the non-Jews live [MTY] or into the towns where the Samaritans live, because they hate you. 6 Instead, go to the people of Israel [SYN] who have gone away from God like sheep that have gotten lost [MET]. 7 When you go to them, proclaim to them that God [EUP/MTY] will soon begin to rule over people. 8 Heal sick people, cause dead people to become alive, heal people who have leprosy, and cause demons to leave people who are controlled by them {whom demons control}. Do not charge money for helping people, because God did not charge you anything for helping you. 9-10 9-10Do not take any money with you [MTY], nor a knapsack. Do not take an extra shirt, nor sandals in addition to what you are wearing, nor a walking stick. Every worker deserves to get pay from the people for whom he works, so you deserve to receive food and a place to stay from the people to whom you go. 11-12 11-12In whatever town or village you enter, find out which person is worthy that you should stay in his home. And as you go into that house, ask God to bless the people who live there [MTY]. Stay in that home until you leave that town or village. 13 If the people who live in [MTY] that house are worthy of being blessed {God blessing them}, God will bless them. If the people who live in that house are not worthy of being blessed {of God blessing them}, God will bless you instead of blessing them. 14 If the people who live in any house or town do not welcome you to their home or town, nor listen to your message, leave that house or town. And as you leave, shake off the dust from your feet. By doing that, you will warn them that God will punish them for rejecting your message. 15 Note this carefully: At the time when God judges all people, he will punish the people who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah [MTY], the ancient cities which God destroyed because their people were extremely wicked. But in any town where the people [MTY] refuse to hear your message, God will punish them even more severely.”