When He had called all the multitude to [Himself,] He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:

Then He said to [them] all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched --

"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched --

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire --

"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast [it] from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

"And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast [it] from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

" Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.

"Because narrow [is] the gate and difficult [is] the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

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.

"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

"And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me."

Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

For though I am free from all [men,] I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called [the Place] of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting [them] to continue in the faith, and [saying,] "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [Him,] that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with [Him,] that we may also be glorified together.

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.

being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

And those [who are] Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.

Therefore, 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,

but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

"Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw [some] of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

"But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.

"and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you; and [yet] you have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only [what was] right in My eyes;

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward."

Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."

This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"

Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

knowing that shortly I [must] put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.