44 Bible Verses about Self Sacrifice

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake, loses his life--that man shall save it.

For you not only sympathized with those who were in prison, but you even took the confiscation of your possessions joyfully, knowing, as you did, that you had in yourselves a greater possession and a lasting one.

It was faith that caused Moses, when he was grown up, to refuse the title of 'Son of a Daughter of Pharaoh.' He preferred sharing the hardships of God's People to enjoying the short-lived pleasures of sin. For he counted 'the reproaches that are heaped upon the Christ' of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, looking forward, as he did, to the reward awaiting him.read more.
Faith caused him to leave Egypt, though undaunted by the King's anger, for he was strengthened in his endurance by the vision of the invisible God.

"If you wish to be perfect," answered Jesus, "go and sell your property, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."

Jesus looked at the man, and his heart went out to him, and he said: "There is still one thing wanting in you; go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall heave wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."

Hearing this, Jesus said to him: "There is one thing still lacking in you; sell everything that you have, and distribute to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."

Sell what belongs to you, and give in charity. Make yourselves purses that will not wear out--an inexhaustible treasure in Heaven, where no thief comes near, or moth works ruin.

"But we," said Peter, "we left what belonged to us and followed you." "I tell you," he answered, "that there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, on account of the Kingdom of God, Who will not receive many times as much in the present, and in the age that is coming Immortal Life."

"But we--we left everything, and followed you; what, then, shall we have?" "I tell you," answered Jesus, "that at the New Creation, 'when the Son of Man takes his seat on his throne of glory,' you who followed me shall be seated upon twelve thrones, as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel. Every one who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or land, on account of my Name, will receive many times as much, and will 'gain Immortal Life.'

"But we," began Peter, "we left everything and have followed you." "I tell you," said Jesus, "there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or land, on my account and on account of the Good News, Who will not receive a hundred times as much, even now in the present--houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land--though not without persecutions, and, in the age that is coming, Immortal Life.

All who became believers in Christ held everything for the common use; They sold their property and their goods, and shared the proceeds among them all, according to their individual needs.

The whole body of those who had become believers in Christ were of one heart and mind. Not one of them claimed any of his goods as his own, but everything was held for the common use. The Apostles continued with great power to bear their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's blessing rested upon them all abundantly. Nor was there any one in need among them, for all who were owners of land or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the salesread more.
And laid them at the Apostles' feet; and then every one received a share in proportion to his wants. A Levite of Cyprian birth, named Joseph, (who had received from the Apostles the additional name of 'Barnabas'--which means 'The Consoler,') Sold a farm that belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the Apostles' feet.

We would remind you, Brothers, of the love that God has shown to the Churches in Macedonia-- How, tired though they were by many a trouble, their overflowing happiness, and even their deep poverty, resulted in a flood of generosity. I can bear witness that to the full extent of their power, and even beyond their power, spontaneously,read more.
And with many an appeal to us for permission, they showed their love, and contributed their share towards the fund for their fellow-Christians. And that, not only in the way we had expected; but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us also, in accordance with God's will.

And so with every one of you who does not bid farewell to all he has--he cannot be a disciple of mine.

He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

"If any man comes to me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes and his very life, he can be no disciple of mine.

After this, Jesus went out; and he noticed a tax-gatherer, named Levi, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me." Levi left everything and got up and followed him.

More than that, I count everything as loss, for the sake of the exceeding value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. And for his sake I have lost everything, and count it as refuse, if I may but gain Christ and be found in union with him;

In truth I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains solitary; but, if it dies, it becomes fruitful. He who loves his life loses it; while he who hates his life in the present world shall preserve it for Immortal Life.

And the man who does not take his cross and follow in my steps is not worthy of me.

Whoever does not carry his own cross, and walk in my steps, can be no disciple of mine.

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake, loses his life shall find it.

Calling the people and his disciples to him, Jesus said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, will lose his life shall save it.

And to all present he said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake, loses his life--that man shall save it.

Whoever is eager to get the most out of his life will lose it; but whoever will lose it shall preserve it.

We have learned to know what love is from this--that Christ laid down his life on our behalf. Therefore we also ought to lay down our lives on behalf of our Brothers. But, if any one has worldly possessions, and yet looks on while his Brother is in want, and steels his heart against him, how can it be said that the love of God is within him? My children, do not let our love be mere words, or end in talk; let it be true and show itself in acts.

We always bear on our bodies the marks of the death that Jesus died, so that the Life also of Jesus may be exhibited in our bodies. Indeed, we who still live are continually being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the Life also of Jesus may be exhibited in our mortal nature.

Although I was entirely free, yet, to win as many converts as possible, I made myself everyone's slave. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews. To those who are subject to Law I became like a man subject to Law-though I was not myself subject to Law-to win those who are subject to Law. To those who have no Law I became like a man who has no Law- -not that I am free from God's Law; no, for I am under Christ's Law-to win those who have no law.read more.
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men, so as at all costs to save some. And I do everything for the sake of the Good News, that with them I may share in its blessings.

Why, too, do we risk our lives every hour? Daily I face death-I swear it, Brothers, by the pride in you that I feel through my union with Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Are they 'Servants of Christ'? Though it is madness to talk like this, I am more so than they! I have had more of toil, more of imprisonment! I have been flogged times without number. I have been often at death's door. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews forty lashes, all but one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a whole day and night in the deep.read more.
My journeys have been many. I have been through dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in towns, dangers in the country, dangers on the sea, dangers among false Brothers. I have been through toil and hardship. I have passed many a sleepless night; I have endured hunger and thirst; I have often been without food; I have known cold and nakedness. And, not to speak of other things, there is my daily burden of anxiety about all the Churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led astray without my burning with indignation?

For my part, I will most gladly spend, and be spent, for your welfare. Can it be that the more intensely I love you the less I am to be loved?

Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.

Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.

You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers and relations and friends, and they will cause some of you to be put to death, And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name.

Even though I dole my substance to the poor, even though I sacrifice my body, that I may boast, yet have not Love, it avails me nothing!

Except that in town after town the Holy Spirit plainly declares to me that imprisonment and troubles await me. But I count my life of no value to myself, if only I may complete the course marked out for me, and the task that was allotted me by the Lord Jesus--which was to declare the Good News of the Love of God.

Going on a little further, he threw himself on his face in prayer. "My Father," he said, "if it is possible, let me be spared this cup; only, not as I will, but as thou willest."

Going on a little further, he threw himself on the ground, and began to pray that, if it were possible, he might be spared that hour. "Abba, Father," he said, "all things are possible to thee; take away this cup from me; yet, not what I will, but what thou willest."

"Father," he said, "if it is thy pleasure, spare me this cup; only, not my will but thine be done."

And yet, even if, when your faith is offered as a sacrifice to God, my life-blood must be poured out in addition, still I shall rejoice and share the joy of you all;

And they stoned Stephen, while he cried to the Lord: "Lord Jesus! receive my spirit!" Falling on his knees, he called out loudly: "Lord! do not charge them with this sin;" and with these words he fell asleep.

Let the spirit of Christ Jesus be yours also. Though the divine nature was his from the beginning, yet he did not look upon equality with God as above all things to be clung to, But impoverished himself by taking the nature of a servant and becoming like men;read more.
He appeared among us as a man, and still further humbled himself by submitting even to death--to death on a cross!

Others had to face taunts and blows, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were tortured, they were swan asunder, they were put to the sword; they wandered about clothed in the skins of sheep or goats, destitute, persecuted, ill-used-- men of whom the world was not worthy--roaming in lonely places, and on the mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

Then I saw thrones, and to those who took their seats upon them authority was given to act as judges. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony to Jesus and because of the Message of God, for they had refused to worship the Beast or its image, and had not received the brand on their foreheads and on their hands. They were restored to life, and they reigned with the Christ for a thousand years.