Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
- BSB Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
- NKJV “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
- NASB “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as wary as serpents, and as innocent as doves.
- NLT “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus sends His disciples into danger like sheep among wolves, urging shrewd yet innocent conduct. They must combine wisdom with harmlessness amid hostility.
Overview
Anticipating opposition, Jesus describes His followers as vulnerable sheep surrounded by predatory wolves. They are to be 'wise as serpents'—prudent and discerning—yet 'harmless as doves'—pure and without malice. This balance of shrewdness and integrity marks faithful discipleship in a hostile world, reflecting the gentleness and wisdom of the Shepherd who sends them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Phil 2:15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
- Luke 10:3Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
- 1 Cor 14:20Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
- Col 4:5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
- Eph 5:15–17See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
- Rom 16:18–19For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
- Acts 20:29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
- Luke 21:15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
- 2 Cor 11:3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
- 2 Cor 11:14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
- Gen 3:1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
- 1 Th 5:22Abstain from all appearance of evil.
- Col 1:9For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
- 2 Cor 1:12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
- 2 Cor 8:20Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
- 1 Th 2:10Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
- Gen 3:13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 10:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.