Did Jesus tell his apostles to go barefoot and without a staff?

Mark's permitted staff and sandals differ from the prohibitions in Matthew and Luke's travel instructions.

Textual conflict: Direct contradiction; The quoted passages make incompatible claims about the same subject under the same conditions. Little additional inference is needed.
Importance: Minor; A local detail in a story, chronology, or inventory.

Parallel mission instructions expressly prohibit taking a staff in Luke and expressly permit one in Mark.

An editorial assessment of the quoted passages. Importance describes the stakes; it does not increase certainty. Reading order weighs both.

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The journey instructions prohibit staffs and shoes

Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

Matthew 10:10

Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)

Read the full chapter:Matthew 10

And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

Luke 9:3

Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)

Read the full chapter:Luke 9

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Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

Luke 10:4

Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)

Read the full chapter:Luke 10

Mark permits a staff and commands sandals

And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

Mark 6:8-9

Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)

Read the full chapter:Mark 6

Understanding the contradiction

Matthew 10:10 lists shoes and staffs among the prohibited journey supplies. Luke 9:3 explicitly says to take neither staffs nor other supplies, and Luke 10:4 prohibits carrying shoes. A 'scrip' in these lists is a travel bag. The common emphasis is travel with very little equipment.

Mark 6:8-9 shares the restrictions on bag, bread, money, and a second coat, but expressly excepts a staff and tells the travelers to wear sandals. The staff presents the sharpest disagreement: Luke says not to take it, while Mark permits it. The shoe instructions also differ, though carrying footwear and wearing it are not identical actions. These variants prevent the parallel lists from supplying one consistent inventory as written.

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contradictionMatthewLukeMark

The journey instructions prohibit staffs and shoes

Mark permits a staff and commands sandals

Understanding the contradiction

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