Matthew 10:16-18
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Jesus is telling us to be like serpents in our caution, not their deceit, and like doves in our simple, pure intentions, not naive foolishness. This means blending street smarts with a genuinely good heart to navigate a world that will often be hostile to the message you carry.
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is sending his disciples out to preach the good news of the Kingdom, but he immediately warns them that they will face intense opposition and danger, comparing their vulnerability to sheep among wolves. He instructs them to navigate this perilous mission with a unique blend of shrewdness and guilelessness, showing discernment to avoid unnecessary harm while maintaining their pure intentions. This direction sets the stage for the subsequent warnings about persecution, betrayal, and the need for steadfastness in the face of hostility.
Jesus doesn't sugarcoat the mission. He sends his followers into a world that is hostile and dangerous.
When Jesus sends out his disciples in Matthew 10, he uses a powerful image: 'sheep in the midst of wolves.' This isn't just a metaphor; it highlights the core vulnerability of their mission.
The Danger Ahead
Sheep are defenseless. They have no natural weapons to fight back against predators. Wolves, on the other hand, are fierce, predatory, and known for their cruelty. Jesus is starkly telling his followers that their mission to spread the Gospel will put them in direct opposition to those who are spiritually predatory and dangerous.
Why This Imagery?
This imagery serves several purposes:
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Jesus gives a counter-intuitive instruction: be as smart as a serpent, yet as pure as a dove.
The command to be 'wise as serpents and innocent as doves' is a profound call to balance.
Serpent's Wisdom
Serpents have long been associated with cunning and a keen sense of self-preservation. Jesus isn't asking his followers to be deceitful or malicious like the serpent in Genesis 3. Instead, he's calling for prudence. This means being alert to danger, knowing how to navigate tricky situations, and avoiding unnecessary risks. It's about having discernment in a world that will try to trap or harm you.
Dove's Innocence
Doves, by contrast, are symbols of purity, gentleness, and guilelessness. They are 'unmixed' or 'unadulterated' in their nature. This aspect of the instruction means believers should maintain integrity, speak truth with love, and not resort to the 'cunning' or 'craftiness' that is deceitful. Your actions and motives should be pure and straightforward, reflecting the character of God.
The Divine Balance
Jesus blends these seemingly opposite qualities. True spiritual wisdom isn't just about being shrewd; it must be coupled with a pure heart and harmless intentions. You need to be aware of the dangers (serpent's wisdom) without becoming hardened or deceitful, and you need to be pure and loving (dove's innocence) without being naive to the threats around you.
Understand the original words
idou · Greek Interjection/Particle
A command to pay close attention or perceive something of great importance; often used to introduce a significant revelation or truth.
probaton · Greek Noun
Animals known for their gentleness, vulnerability, and dependence on a shepherd; in Scripture, they often represent God’s people.
lykos · Greek Noun
Predatory animals that symbolize those who are hostile, ravenous, or spiritually dangerous to the people of God.
phronimos · Greek Adjective
Practical, godly discernment; the ability to make sound judgments and act with foresight according to God's will.
akeraios · Greek Adjective
Purity, lack of deceit, or blamelessness; signifies being unmixed or untainted by evil or malice.
synedrion · Greek Noun
Formal proceedings of judgment, often referring to religious councils (Sanhedrin) or civil magistrates where believers are judged.
martyrion · Greek Noun
The formal act of testifying or declaring the truth about Jesus Christ, often involving personal experience or evidence.
ethnos · Greek Noun
All nations or peoples outside of the covenant people of Israel; those who have not known the true God.
This instruction from Jesus wasn't just a metaphor; it was a stark warning about the immediate and future dangers the apostles would face as they carried His message into a world often hostile to it.
c. AD 27-29
Jesus Begins Public Ministry
Jesus starts teaching, healing, and calling disciples, launching a movement that will soon draw the attention of religious and political authorities.
c. AD 29— this verse
Jesus Appoints and Sends Out the Twelve
Jesus specifically commissions his closest followers, the Twelve Apostles, giving them authority and instructions for their mission.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and Growing Opposition
As Jesus' fame spreads, so does the hostility from religious leaders. His teachings challenge the established order, creating a volatile environment.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The ultimate rejection and vindication of Jesus' mission, setting the stage for the apostles' post-resurrection ministry.
c. AD 33 onwards
The Early Church Spreads
Following Jesus' ascension, the apostles, empowered by the Holy Spirit, boldly preach the gospel, facing intense persecution from both Jewish and Roman authorities.
This passage introduces the serpent as a cunning creature, which is where Jesus draws the analogy for the disciples' need for shrewdness in a dangerous world.
Psalm 23:1-4This psalm beautifully contrasts the Lord as Shepherd with the presence of danger ('valley of the shadow of death'), mirroring Jesus' imagery of sending his sheep into the midst of wolves and His promise to be their protector.
Luke 10:3This parallel account from Luke also has Jesus sending out His disciples (though a different group of seventy) with the same 'sheep among wolves' imagery, highlighting this as a recurring theme of their mission.
Romans 16:19Paul's encouragement to the believers in Rome to be 'wise as to what is good and innocent as to evil' directly echoes Jesus' command, showing how this principle of wise innocence is meant to guide believers throughout their lives.
1 Corinthians 14:20Paul urges believers not to be 'children in your thinking' but to be 'mature in understanding,' which connects with Jesus' call to a mature wisdom that is both discerning and pure, avoiding childish naivete.
vincentMatthew 10:16: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."
I send you forth (ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω)Cognate to the word ἀπόστολος (apostle). The I is emphatic: "It is I that send you forth."Wise (φρόνιμοι)So A.V. and Rev. Denoting prudence with regard to their own safety. Wyc., wary.Harmless (ἀκέραιοι)Lit., unmixed, unadulterated. Used of wine without water, and of metal without alloy. Hence guileless. So Luther, without f…
bensonMatthew 10:16: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."
Matthew 10:16 . Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves — I now send you forth weak and defenceless among a wicked, cruel, and persecuting people. “Considering the nature of the tidings which the apostles were now sent out to publish, namely, that the kingdom of heaven was at hand — considering, also, the number and variety of the miraculous cures…
Jesus is telling us to be like serpents in our caution, not their deceit, and like doves in our simple, pure intentions, not naive foolishness. This means blending street smarts with a genuinely good heart to navigate a world that will often be hostile to the message you carry.
Jesus is sending his disciples out to preach the good news of the Kingdom, but he immediately warns them that they will face intense opposition and danger, comparing their vulnerability to sheep among wolves. He instructs them to navigate this perilous mission with a unique blend of shrewdness and guilelessness, showing discernment to avoid unnecessary harm while maintaining their pure intentions. This direction sets the stage for the subsequent warnings about persecution, betrayal, and the need for steadfastness in the face of hostility.
Jesus is sending his disciples out to preach the good news of the Kingdom, but he immediately warns them that they will face intense opposition and danger, comparing their vulnerability to sheep among wolves. He instructs them to navigate this perilous mission with a unique blend of shrewdness and guilelessness, showing discernment to avoid unnecessary harm while maintaining their pure intentions. This direction sets the stage for the subsequent warnings about persecution, betrayal, and the need for steadfastness in the face of hostility.
"“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors…" — Jesus is telling us to be like serpents in our caution, not their deceit, and like doves in our simple, pure intentions, not naive foolishness. This means blending street smarts with a genuinely good…
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Last reviewed October 2026
