Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
- KJV Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
- BSB Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
- NKJV Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
- NLT Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
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
Jesus calls would-be followers to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. It matters because it defines the cost and shape of true discipleship.
Overview
Following Jesus means self-denial and willingness to suffer, even to death—taking up one's cross. This is not optional but the very nature of discipleship in the way of the crucified Lord. It calls believers to surrender their own claims and follow Christ wholly. The path of the disciple mirrors the path of the Master who went to the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Matt 10:38He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.
- Luke 14:27Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple.
- 1 Pet 4:1–2Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;
- Luke 9:23–27He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
- Mark 10:21Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”
- Mark 8:34He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
- 2 Tim 3:12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
- Heb 11:24–26By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
- Acts 14:22confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.
- Col 1:24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly;
- John 19:17He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull”, which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha”,
- 1 Th 3:3that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.
- Matt 27:32As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.
- Mark 15:21They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.
- Luke 23:26When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 16:24 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.