Then Jesus called the crowd, along with his disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, "You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus).

and carrying his own cross he went out to the place called "The Place of the Skull" (called in Aramaic Golgotha).

Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Cannot

But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.

They strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, "We must enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions."

Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set and I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day.

General references

And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Another said, 'I just got married, and I cannot come.'