And He summonedthe crowdwith His disciples,and saidto them, "Ifanyonewishesto comeafterMe, he must denyhimself,and takeup his crossand followMe.
and torethe kingdomawayfrom the houseof Davidand gaveit to you-- yet you have not beenlike My servantDavid,whokeptMy commandmentsand whofollowedMe with allhis heart,to doonlythat whichwas rightin My sight;
"But My servantCaleb,becausehe hashada differentspiritand has followedMe fully,I will bringinto the landwhichhe entered,and his descendantsshall takepossessionof it.
"And he whodoes not takehis crossand followafterMe is not worthyof Me.
ThenJesussaidto His disciples,"Ifanyonewishesto comeafterMe, he must denyhimself,and takeup his crossand followMe.
As they were comingout, they founda manof CyrenenamedSimon,whomthey pressed into serviceto bearHis cross.
Lookingat him, Jesusfelt a lovefor him and saidto him, "One thingyou lack:goand sellallyou possessand giveto the poor,and you will havetreasurein heaven;and come,followMe."
After He calledthe crowdto Him again,He [began] sayingto them, "Listento Me, allof you, and understand:
"Striveto enterthroughthe narrowdoor;for many,I tellyou, will seekto enterand will not be able.
"Sothen,noneof you canbe My disciplewhodoes not giveup allhis ownpossessions.
When Jesusheard[this], He saidto him, "One thingyou stilllack;sellallthat you possessand distributeit to the poor,and you shall havetreasurein heaven;and come,followMe."
And while allthe peoplewere listening,He saidto the disciples,
And He was sayingto [them] all,"Ifanyonewishesto comeafterMe, he must denyhimself,and takeup his crossdailyand followMe.
"My sheephearMy voice,and I knowthem, and they followMe;
They tookJesus,therefore,and He wentout, bearingHis owncross,to the place calledthe Placeof a Skull,whichis calledin Hebrew,Golgotha.
strengtheningthe soulsof the disciples,encouragingthem to continuein the faith,and [saying], "Throughmanytribulationswe mustenterthe kingdomof God."
knowingthis,that our oldselfwas crucifiedwith [Him], in orderthat our bodyof sinmight be done awaywith, so that we would no longerbe slavesto sin;
and ifchildren,heirsalso,heirsof Godand fellow heirswith Christ,if indeedwe sufferwith [Him] sothat we may alsobe glorifiedwith [Him].
I affirm,brethren,by the boastingin you whichI havein ChristJesusour Lord,I diedaily.
Therefore,iffoodcausesmy brotherto stumble,I will nevereatmeatagain, sothat I will not causemy brotherto stumble.
For though I amfreefrom all[men], I have mademyselfa slaveto all,sothat I may winmore.
"I have been crucifiedwith Christ;and it is no longerI who live,but Christlivesin me; and the [life] whichI nowlivein the fleshI liveby faithin the Sonof God,who lovedme and gaveHimselfup for me.
Nowthosewho belong to ChristJesushave crucifiedthe fleshwith its passionsand desires.
But may it neverbe that I would boast,exceptin the crossof our LordJesusChrist,throughwhichthe worldhas been crucifiedto me, and I to the world.
that I may knowHim and the powerof His resurrectionand the fellowshipof His sufferings,being conformedto His death;
But whatever thingswere gainto me, those thingsI have countedas lossfor the sakeof Christ.
NowI rejoicein my sufferingsfor your sake,and in my fleshI do my shareon behalfof His body,whichis the church,in fillingup whatis lackingin Christ'safflictions.
Thereforeconsiderthe membersof your earthlybody as deadto immorality,impurity,passion,evildesire,and greed,whichamountsto idolatry.
For we hearthat someamongyou are leadingan undisciplinedlife,doingnoworkat all,but acting like busybodies.
instructingus to denyungodlinessand worldlydesiresand to livesensibly,righteouslyand godlyin the presentage,
So,let us goout to Him outsidethe camp,bearingHis reproach.
Therefore,since Christhas sufferedin the flesh,armyourselves alsowith the samepurpose,becausehe who has sufferedin the fleshhas ceasedfrom sin,
but to the degreethat you sharethe sufferingsof Christ,keep on rejoicing,sothat alsoat the revelationof His gloryyou may rejoicewith exultation.
knowingthat the laying asideof my [earthly] dwellingis imminent,as alsoour LordJesusChristhas made clearto me.
We knowloveby this,that He laiddownHis lifefor us; and we oughtto lay downour livesfor the brethren.
Do not fearwhatyou are aboutto suffer.Behold,the devilis aboutto castsome of you into prison,sothat you will be tested,and you will havetribulationfor tendays.Be faithfuluntildeath,and I will giveyou the crownof life.
