I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB “I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God;
- KJV Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
- NKJV “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
- NASB “Now I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before people, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God;
- NLT “I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.
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
Everyone who confesses Jesus before others, the Son of Man will confess before God's angels. Public allegiance to Christ matters eternally.
Overview
Jesus links earthly confession of Him to heavenly acknowledgment, showing that faith in Him is meant to be openly owned, not hidden. The title 'Son of Man' points to His role as the exalted, coming Judge. Confessing Christ before a hostile world is the mark of saving faith, and He pledges to own such believers before God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 10:32–33Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.
- 1 Jn 2:23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.
- Rom 10:9–10that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
- 2 Tim 2:12if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;
- Luke 15:10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
- Rev 2:13I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits. Yet you have held fast to My name and have not denied your faith in Me, even in the day when My faithful witness Antipas was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
- Rev 3:4–5But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.
- Rev 2:10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Jude 1:24–25Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
- 1 Sam 2:30Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
- Ps 119:46I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed.
- Matt 25:31–34When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 12:8 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.