104 Bible Verses about discipleship, nature of

It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught of God." Every one that hath heard the Father, and hath learnt from him, cometh to me.

And another of the disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But he saith to him, Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.

And they immediately left their nets, and followed him.

And immediately they left their nets, and followed him.

Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, as Christ also loved you, and gave himself for you an offering and a sacrifice to God, of a sweet odor.

And let those also who belong to us learn to practise good works for the necessary wants that arise, that they may not be unfruitful.

but as he who called you is holy, be ye also holy in all your conduct; because it is written, "Ye shall be holy, for I am holy."

And they immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest for your souls.

and immediately he called them. And leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, they went after him.

For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.

And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.

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

and he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for their sakes, and rose again.

Yea, let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus,

For none of us liveth to himself, and no one dieth to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Whether then we live or die, we are the Lords.

And he saith to them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.

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

that ye may no longer live the remaining time in the flesh after the lusts of men, but after the will of God.

And Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will cause you to become fishers of men.

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and placed himself again at the table, he said to them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me the Teacher, and the Lord; and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one anothers feet.read more.
For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly do I say to you, A servant is not greater than his lord, nor one who is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

And going on from thence, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things which I have said to you.

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye will abide in my love, even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.read more.
This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no one than this, that he lay down his life 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, is come, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he shall hear, that he will speak; and he will tell you the things to come.

He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that doth not take his cross, and follow me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life will lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake will find it.

And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Suffer me first to go and bury my father. And he said to him, Let the dead bury their own dead; but go thou and carry the tidings of the kingdom of God.

which things we also speak, not in words taught by mans wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, connecting what is spiritual l with what is spiritual.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any one chooseth to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever chooseth to save his life will lose it; and whoever shall lose his life for my sake will find it.

And as Jesus passed on from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the customhouse; and he saith to him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him;

And calling the multitude to him with his disciples also, he said to them, Whoever chooseth to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever chooseth to save his life, will lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for the sake of me and of the glad tidings, will save it.

And passing along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customhouse; and he saith to him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, ye having been rooted and grounded in love, that ye may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height,read more.
and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fullness of God.

And he said to all, If any one chooseth to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever chooseth to save his life, will lose it; and whoever loseth his life for my sake, he will save it.

to whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they were ministering the things, which have now been announced to you by them that have brought the glad tidings to you by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

And after these things he went out, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the customhouse; and he said to him, Follow me.

and commanded them that they should take nothing for the way but a staff only; no bread, no bag, no money in their girdle;

Jesus said to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

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

If any one cometh to me, and hateth not his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever doth not bear his own cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple.

And Jesus looking at him, loved him, and said to him, One thing thou lackest; go, sell whatever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

Whoever shall seek to save his life will lose it; and whoever shall lose it will preserve it.

And Jesus hearing this said to him, One thing thou still lackest: sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world will keep it unto everlasting life.

On the morrow he determined to go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip. And Jesus saith to him, Follow me.

that as to your former way of life ye should put off the old man, who perisheth according to the lusts of deceit, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man, who was created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

This he said, signifying by what manner of death he was to glorify God. And having thus spoken, he saith to him, Follow me.

And these things, brethren, I have transferred in a figure to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us ye may learn not to go beyond what is written, that no one of you may pride himself in one against another.

Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

and he that doth not take his cross, and follow me, is not worthy of me.

A disciple is not above his teacher; but every one when fully instructed will be as his teacher.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any one chooseth to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Follow my example, as I do that of Christ.

For he determined beforehand that those whom he foreknew should be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Brethren, be ye followers together of me, and mark those who walk as ye have us for an example.

And calling the multitude to him with his disciples also, he said to them, Whoever chooseth to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, wellpleasing to God, which is your spiritual worship; and be not conformed to the fashion of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that ye may learn by experience what is the will of God, what is good, and wellpleasing, and perfect.

And he said to all, If any one chooseth to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

For ye yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us; for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you,

Whoever doth not bear his own cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple.

but clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and think not about satisfying the lusts of the flesh.

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

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

But we all with unveiled face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.

But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety to their own family, and to requite their parents; for this is acceptable before God.

But do thou continue in the things which thou didst learn and wast assured of, knowing from what teachers thou didst learn them,

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

If any one be a servant to me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also will my servant be; if any one serve me, the Father will honor him.

according as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him;

These are they who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, a firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

whom we preach, 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 will receive the recompense of the inheritance; serve Christ as your Lord.

Clothe yourselves, therefore, as the chosen of God, holy and beloved, with compassionate affections, kindness, lowliness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

But Jesus called them to him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great men exercise a strict authority over them. Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desireth to become great among you, will be your minister; and whoever desireth to be first among you, will be your servant;read more.
even as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.

And Jesus, calling them to him, saith to them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the nations lord it over them, and their great men exercise a strict authority over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever desireth to become great among you, will be your minister; and whoever of you desireth to become first, will be servant of all;read more.
for even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as he who called you is holy, be ye also holy in all your conduct;

Be not backward in zeal; be fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

even for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge selfcontrol, and to selfcontrol endurance, and to endurance godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

For they themselves are reporting concerning us what kind of reception we had among you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God,

Beloved, now are we children of God, and it hath not yet been manifested what we shall be. We know that, when it shall be manifested, we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is. And every one that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.

Jesus therefore said to those Jews who believed in him, If ye continue in my word, ye are truly my disciples;

And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou hast come as a teacher from God; for no one can do these signs which thou doest, unless God be with him.

He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me will be loved by my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Nicodemus saith to them, being one of them,

If ye keep my commandments, ye will abide in my love, even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love.

And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

and whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

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

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All power was given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, and make all nations my disciples, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things, whatever I have commanded you. And, lo! I am with you always, unto the end of the world.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid; nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the lampstand; and it giveth light to all that are in the house. In like manner 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 thou didst hear from me before many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, such as will be able to teach others also.

And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministration, for the building up of the body of Christ; till we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a fullgrown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;read more.
that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and borne about by every wind of teaching, through the dishonest tricks of men, and their cunning in the wily arts of error; but cleaving to truth in love, may grow up in all things unto him who is the head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, well put together and compacted by means of every supplying joint, is, according to the working of each part in its proportion, building itself up in love. This therefore I say, and charge you in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the rest of the gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind,

And they were constantly attending on the teaching of the apostles, and the imparting [of their substance], the breaking of bread, and the prayers.

Jesus therefore said to those Jews who believed in him, If ye continue 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 beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit he cleanseth, that it may bear more fruit. Ye are clean already, by reason 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, if it abide not in the vine, so neither can ye, unless ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for apart from me ye can do nothing. If any one abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather it, and cast it into the fire, and it is burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever ye will, and it shall be done for you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and ye will become my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye will abide in my love, even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things which I have heard from my Father, I have 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 remain; that whatever ye ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. This I command you, that ye love one another.

A new commandment I give you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this will all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.

If any one cometh to me, and hateth not his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

So likewise, whoever of you doth not forsake all that he hath, cannot be my disciple.

But do thou speak the things which become sound teaching; that aged men be sober, grave, discreet, sound in faith, in love, in patience; that aged women likewise be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not enslaved to much wine, teachers of what is good,read more.
that they may teach the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, workers at home, good, in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. The younger men likewise exhort to be soberminded; in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works, in teaching showing uncorruptness, gravity, sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is opposed to us may be put to shame, having no evil thing to say of us.

And as they were traveling on the way, one said to him, I will follow thee wherever thou goest. And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have lodgingplaces; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Suffer me first to go and bury my father.read more.
And he said to him, Let the dead bury their own dead; but go thou and carry the tidings of the kingdom of God. And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to those who are in my house. And Jesus said to him, No one who looketh back after putting his hand to the plough is fit for the kingdom of God.