115 Bible Verses about discipleship, nature of

It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught from God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned from the Father, cometh to me.

And all thy children shall be taught from the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping animal that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the LORD that bringeth you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

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

Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

And they immediately left their nets, and followed him.

Sanctify yourselves therefore and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

And immediately they forsook their nets, and followed him.

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.

And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful.

But as he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of deportment. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

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

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

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

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

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

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

And when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

But ye have not so learned Christ; If indeed ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

And that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them, and rose again.

With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yes, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live to the Lord; and whether we die, we die to the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

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

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

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

And Jesus said to them, Come ye after me, and I will make 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 was set down again, he said to them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master, and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.read more.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say to you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that 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 other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called them.

But the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye 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 remain in you, and that your joy may be full.read more.
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you.

For the Holy Spirit will teach you in the same 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 will he speak: and he will show you 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 taketh not his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it.

And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

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

And as Jesus was passing from thence, he saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: 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, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

And when he had called the people to him with his disciples also, he said to them, Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever will save his life, shall lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom, and said 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; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and highth.read more.
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God.

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever will save his life, shall lose it: but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they ministered the things which are now reported to you by them that have preached the gospel to you, with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said to him, Follow me.

And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no bag, no bread, no money in their purse:

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

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace will be with you.

If any man cometh to me, and hateth not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Then Jesus beholding 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, take up the cross, and follow me.

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

Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, Assemble the people to me, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said to him, Yet lackest thou one thing: 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 shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it to life eternal.

And Moses called all Israel, and said to them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith to him, follow me.

That ye put off concerning the former manner of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts: And be renewed in the Spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Convene the people, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

This he spoke, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith to him, Follow me.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself, and to Apollos, for your sakes; that ye may learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you on account of one, may be puffed up against another.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me.

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect, shall be as his master.

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

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.

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

And when he had called the people to him with his disciples also, he said to them, Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

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

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

And whoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the lusts of 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 open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

But if any widow hath children or nephews, let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing from whom thou hast learned them;

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

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.

According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

These are they who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits 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 Jesus.

Knowing that from the Lord ye will receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;

But Jesus called them to him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:read more.
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.

But Jesus called them, and saith to them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles, exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so it shall not be among you: but whoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whoever of you will be the chief, 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 life a ransom for many.

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of deportment.

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For they themselves show of us what manner of entrance we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God;

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If ye continue in my word, ye are my disciples indeed;

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

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

Nicodemus saith to them, (he that came to Jesus by night, 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 by this we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

And whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

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

And Jesus came, and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and upon earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in 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, even to the end of the world. Amen.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a close vessel, but on a candlestick: and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

And the things that thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:read more.
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If ye continue in my word, ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall 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 cleaneth it, that it my bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through 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, except it abide in the vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered: and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye may ask what ye will, and it shall be done to you. In this is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye 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 remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

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

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

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

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience; The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;read more.
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing incorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say concerning you.

And it came to pass, that as they were going in the way, a certain man said to him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.read more.
Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house. And Jesus said to him, No man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.