104 Bible Verses about discipleship, nature of

It has been written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Every one who heard from the Father, and learned, comes to Me.

And another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus saith to him, "Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

And, immediately leaving their nets, they followed Him.

And straightway, leaving the nets, they followed Him.

Become ye, therefore, imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, as Christ also loved you, and delivered Himself up for you, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweet smell.

And let our people also learn to maintain good works for necessary wants, that they may not be unfruitful.

but, according as He Who called you is holy, do ye yourselves become holy in all your conduct; because it has been written, "Ye shall be holy, because I am Holy."

and they, having immediately left the boat and their father, followed Him.

Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; because I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest for your souls;

And straightway He called them; and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat, with the hired servants, they went away after Him.

for I gave you an example, that, as I did to you, ye also should do.

And, having brought their boats to the land, leaving all, they followed Him.

But ye did not so learn Christ; if, indeed, ye heard Him, and were taught in Him, as truth is in Jesus;

and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to Him Who died for them, and rose again.

Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;

For no one of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For, if we live, we live to the Lord; and, if we die, we die to the Lord: whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

And He saith to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

For to this were ye called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow His steps;

that ye no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh to the desires of men, but to the will of God.

And Jesus said to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."

He who says that he is abiding in Him ought himself also to walk even as He walked.

When, therefore, He washed their feet, and took His garments, and reclined again, He said to them, "Do ye know what I have done to you? Ye call Me 'The Teacher,' and 'The Lord;' and ye say well; for so I am. If, therefore, I, 'The Lord,' and 'The Teacher,' washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet;read more.
for I gave you an example, that, as I did to you, ye also should do. Verily, verily, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his lord, nor one who is sent greater than he who sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye, if ye do them.

And, having gone on thence, He saw other two brothers: James a son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them;

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all things that I told you.

Even as the Father loved Me, I also loved you; abide in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.read more.
This is My commandment, that ye love one another, even as I loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his soul for his friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do what I command you.

for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what ye ought to say."

But, when He, the Spirit of truth, shall come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak from Himself; but whatsoever He heareth He will speak; and He will declare to you things to come.

"He that loves father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me; and he that loves son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me. And whosoever does not take up his cross, and follow Me, is not worthy of Me. "He that finds his life shall lose it; and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it.

And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me, going away, first to bury my father." And He said, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but, going, publish abroad the Kingdom of God."

Which things also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit; combining spiritual things with spiritual.

Then said Jesus to His disciples, "If any one wishes to come after Me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me; for whosoever wishes to save his soul shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his soul for My sake shall find it;

And Jesus, passing on thence, saw a man, called Matthew, sitting at the tax-office, and He saith to him, "Follow Me." And, rising up, he followed Him.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, would give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the full knowledge of Him;

And, calling the multitude to Him with His disciples, He said to them, "If any one wishes to come after Me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever would save his soul shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his soul for My sake and the Gospel's, shall save it.

And passing by, He saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax-office, and saith to him, "Follow Me." And, rising up, he followed Him.

that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit as to the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that ye, having been rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth,read more.
and to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.

And He said to all, "If any one wishes to come after Me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever wishes to save his soul shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his soul for My sake, the same shall save it.

to whom it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to you they were ministering them; which things now were reported to you through those who proclaimed the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from Heaven; into which things angels desire to look carefully.

And, after these things, He went forth, and beheld a tax-collector, Levi by name, sitting at the tax-office; and He said to him, "Follow Me."

and He charged them that they should take nothing for the way, except a staff only; no bread, no wallet, no money in their girdle;

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me."

The things also, which ye learned, and received, and heard, and saw in me, these practice; and the God of peace will be with you.

"If any one comes to Me, and hates not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and, further, his own soul also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever does not bear his own cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.

And Jesus, looking on him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing is wanting to you: go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven, and come, follow Me."

Whosoever shall seek to gain his soul shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose it, will preserve it.

And Jesus, hearing it said to him, "Yet one thing is lacking to you; sell all that you have, and distribute to the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven, and come, follow Me."

He who loves his soul loses it; and he who hates his soul in this world will keep it unto life eternal.

On the morrow, He wished to go forth into Galilee; and He findeth Philip, and saith to him, "Follow Me."

that ye put off, as to your former manner of life, the old man, who is corrupt according to the desires of deceit; and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who after God was created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Now this He spake, signifying by what manner of death he would glorify God. And, having spoken this, He saith to him, "Follow Me."

Now these things, brethren, I have, in a figure, transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye may learn not to go beyond the things which have been written; that no one be puffed up for the one against the other.

Ye, therefore, shall be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect."

And whosoever does not take up his cross, and follow Me, is not worthy of Me.

A disciple is not above the teacher; but every one, when perfected, shall be as his teacher.

Then said Jesus to His disciples, "If any one wishes to come after Me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me;

Become imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

because whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren.

Brethren, become imitators together of me, and mark those who so walk, as ye have us as an example.

And, calling the multitude to Him with His disciples, He said to them, "If any one wishes to come after Me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

I beseech you, therefore, brethren, through the mercies of God, to present, your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your rational service; and he not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

And He said to all, "If any one wishes to come after Me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

For ye yourselves know that ye should imitate us; because we were not disorderly among you;

And whosoever does not bear his own cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.

but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill its desires.

Let a woman in quietness learn in all subjection.

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

But we all, with unveiled face, reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transfigured into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

But, if any widow has children or grand-children, let them learn first to show regard to their own family, and to make returns to their parents; for this is acceptable before God.

But do you abide in the, things which you learned and were assured of; knowing from whom you learned them;

Having, therefore, these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

If any one serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there will also My servant be. If anyone serve Me, him will My Father honor.

according as He chose us in Him before the founding of a world, that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love;

These are those who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, a first fruit to God and to the Lamb.

Whom we proclaim, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;

knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye are doing service to the Lord, Christ.

Put on, therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, tender affections of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering;

But Jesus, calling them near, said, "Ye know that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them. Not so shall it be among you; but whosoever wishes to become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever wishes to be first among you shall be your servant;read more.
even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His soul a ransom for many."

that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished for every good work.

And Jesus, calling them to Him, saith to them, "Ye know that those thinking to rule over the gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them; but it is not so among you; but whosoever wishes to become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever wishes to be first among you shall be servant of all:read more.
for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his soul a ransom for many."

as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance; but, according as He Who called you is holy, do ye yourselves become holy in all your conduct;

in diligence, not slothful; in spirit, fervent, serving the Lord;

and, even for this very reason, adding all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; and in knowledge, continence; and in continence, patience; and in patience, godliness; and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.

for they themselves report, concerning us, what manner of entrance we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

Beloved, now are we children of God, and never yet was it manifested what we shall be. We know that, if He shall be manifested, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And every one that has this hope on Him purifies himself, even as He is pure.

Jesus, therefore, said to those Jews who had believed on Him, "If ye abide in My word, ye are truly My disciples;

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, whose name was Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night, and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that Thou hast come, as a Teacher, from God; for no one can do the signs which Thou art doing, unless God be with Him."

He who has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me; and he that loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him."

Nicodemus says to them (he who came to Him before, being one of them),

If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.

And in this we know that we have known Him, if we keep His commandments.

and whatsoever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments, and do the things that are pleasing before Him.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome;

And Jesus, coming near, spake to them, saying, "All authority was given to Me in Heaven and on earth: going, therefore, disciple ye all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you; and, behold, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the age."

"Ye are the light of the world: a city, set upon a hill, cannot he hid. Nor do they light a lamp, and put it under the measure, but on the lamp-stand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven.

And the things which you heard from me, through many witnesses, these commit to faithful men, who will be competent to teach others also.

And He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; with a view to the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man??o the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;read more.
that we may no longer be babes, billow-tossed, and carried about with every wind of teaching, in the sleight of men, in the craftiness suited to the artifice of error; but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him, Who is the Head, Christ; from Whom all the body, fitly framed and knit together through every joint of supply, according to the working in due measure of each single part, secures the growth of the body to the upbuilding of itself in love. This, therefore, I say, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind,

and they were constantly attending the teaching of the apostles and the fellowship, and the breaking of bread, and the prayers.

Jesus, therefore, said to those Jews who had believed on Him, "If ye abide in My word, ye are truly My disciples; and ye will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me that bears not fruit, He taketh it away: and every one that bears fruit, He cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.read more.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, unless ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit; because, apart from Me, ye can do nothing. Unless one abides in Me, he was cast forth as a branch, and withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done to you. In this was My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, and become My disciples. Even as the Father loved Me, I also loved you; abide in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that ye love one another, even as I loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his soul for his friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves; because the slave knows not what his lord is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things which I heard from My Father I made known to you. Ye did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. These things I command you, that ye may love one another.

A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another; even as I loved you, that ye love one another. By this shall all know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another."

"If any one comes to Me, and hates not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and, further, his own soul also, he cannot be My disciple.

"So, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his own goods, cannot be My disciple.

But speak the things which become the healthful teaching; that aged men be temperate, grave, sober-minded, sound in faith, in love, in patience; that aged women, in like manner, be reverent in demeanor, not slanderers, not enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;read more.
that they may train the young women to be lovers of their husbands, lovers of their children, to be sober, pure, workers at home, good, submitting themselves to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. The younger men, in like manner, exhort to be sober-minded; in all things showing yourself an example of good works; in teaching, showing incorruptness, gravity, sound speech not to be condemned; that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say concerning us.

And, as they were journeying in the way, a certain one said to Him, "I will follow Thee wheresoever Thou goest." And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have dens; and the birds of the heaven lodging-places; but the Son of Man hath not where to recline His head." And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me, going away, first to bury my father."read more.
And He said, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but, going, publish abroad the Kingdom of God." And another said, "I will follow Thee, Lord; but first permit me to bid adieu to those within my house." And Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to a plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God."