Matthew 10:16 says, Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.  Jesus said that He was sending the disciples out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  I don't believe that this has changed today.  At this point, the disciples were going to those who professed to be God's people, and Jesus said they would still be sheep among wolves.  How much more so can we expect those who deny God or worship false gods to attempt to destroy us today when we witness for Christ.  Just as the first disciples were not promised peace and prosperity in the world, neither should we expect it today.  Verse seventeen says, But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;  Again, these were those who were supposedly God's people who would be treating the disciples this way.  They would be brought before the councils and scourged in the synagogues.  As followers of Christ today, His church, we need to ensure that we are never guilty of causing problems for those who are witnessing for Him.  Verse eighteen declares, And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.  Jesus did not say that there was a remote possibility that this might occur, but He said that it would.  We should not be surprised when the government opposes what God teaches.  If we are brought before earthly rulers because of our witnessing for Christ, then we should simply stand firm in our faith, no matter what.  Verse nineteen says, But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  Jesus told the disciples not to worry about what to say when they were delivered to the judgment of men.  If we were in such a situation, we might be trying to figure out what we could say to get out of it, but Jesus said to rely on God to give us the words to say.  We can never alter the gospel, which is Jesus crucified, resurrected, and Lord, in order to escape a bad situation.  Verse twenty states, For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.  If we are to be effective witnesses for Christ today, we must always speak under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty-one declares,  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.  This sounds very harsh as a way for people to live, but it has happened and still happens in many countries today, though maybe not always in relationship to Christianity.  Still, being a Christian, a follower of Christ, does often put us at odds with the world, even our closest relatives.  This is what Jesus was warning His disciples, and His followers today, about.  Verse twenty-two adds, And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.  This was not just a warning for those early disciples who actually walked and talked with Jesus physically, but for all His followers who have come since.  We should not be surprised when this happens, but should simply hold on by faith.  We cannot have faith when it is convenient and turn away from God when it is not.  Verse twenty-three says, But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.  When the disciples were persecuted in one city, they were to go to another.