“Now I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before people, 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:
- BSB I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him 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.
- 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 10:32–33Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
- 1 Jn 2:23Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.
- Rom 10:9–10that if you will confess with your mouth that 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 also will deny us.
- Luke 15:10Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
- Rev 2:13“I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and didn’t deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
- Rev 3:4–5Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
- Rev 2:10Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Jude 1:24–25Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,
- 1 Sam 2:30“Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever.’ But now Yahweh says, ‘Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be lightly esteemed.
- Ps 119:46I will also speak of your statutes before kings, and will not be disappointed.
- Matt 25:31–34“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
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.