And calling the multitude unto him with his disciples, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Then Jesus beholding him loved him and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go, sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross , and follow me taking up thy stake (if thy desire is to be perfect).

And they compel one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross .

And he, bearing his cross , went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha,

And all that desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall also suffer persecution.

Cannot

yet he has no root in himself but is temporal, for when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.

confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to remain in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

For which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

General references

And he that does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.

And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.