The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him.

One day He and His disciples got into a boat, and He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set out,

Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose Him fiercely and to cross-examine Him about many things;

If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will He do for you—you of little faith?

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’

As they led Him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.