Gospel of Matthew 10:34-42, 11:1
Christ Instructs His Apostles [5]
Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth: I came not to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law: and a man's own household will be his foes.
He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that does not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.
He that finds his life will lose it; and he that loses his life for my sake will find it. He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me. He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward: and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives to one of these little ones only a cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you: he will not lose his reward.
And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he departed from that place, to teach and preach in their cities.Matthew 10:42
Young's Literal Translation
"and whoever may give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say to you, he may not lose his reward."
Note on the Scripture
The last verse of Matthew 10 is difficult to translate. Giving water to drink may imply that the giver could do more, or it may not. Nor is it clear who "these little ones" refers to; possibly he is pointing to a group of children.
What is clear, is this: Christ emphasizes the smallness of the act; giving the least important person the smallest gift possible, and not even directly in his name, but in the name of a disciple. So when he says "will not lose his reward", he means that people who aid his ministry will not be deprived of eternal life because their contribution is small. It is a message of reassurance, that the giving of earthly alms is qualified by the act, not the amount given. Whether this is intended to reassure only poor people who cannot give much, or the wealthier who do not give all that they conceivably could, is the unclear part.
The rest of the text does not require comment. It may be hard to accept, and there may be problems in how to apply the principles to daily life, but the language is clear and unambiguous.
