53 Bible Verses about Discipleship
Most Relevant Verses
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest [surpassing the others in esteem and authority].
and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. For an entire year they met [with others] in the church and instructed large numbers; and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord was working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed.]
My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.
Mary Magdalene came, reporting to the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had said these things to her.
He answered, “I already told you and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again and again? Do you want to become His disciples, too?”
But turning around [with His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan; for your mind is not set on God’s will or His values and purposes, but on what pleases man.”
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”
Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every city and place where He was about to go.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].
Now these are the names of the twelve apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives): first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and to preach in their [Galilean] cities.
“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God]—he cannot be My disciple.
Then the disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?”
So when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered what He had said. And they believed and trusted in and relied on the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples.
The disciples said to Jesus, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.”
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith [our ability to confidently trust in God and in His power].”
and said, “You say this, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him while we were sleeping.’
Now when John [the Baptist] in prison heard about the activities of Christ, he sent word by his disciples
So this word went out among the brothers that this disciple (John) was not going to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not going to die, but only, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you?”
And He said, “Are you still so dull [and unable to put things together]?
When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
At that particular time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
Whoever does not carry his own cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow after Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] cannot be My disciple.
Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority and power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
And [at that remark] they stormed at him and jeered, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses!
Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father (collect my inheritance).”
Then Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I feel compassion for the crowd, because they have been with Me now three days and have nothing [left] to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, because they might faint [from exhaustion] on the way [home].”
And Jesus turned and saw them following Him, and asked them, “What do you want?” They answered Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”
When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?”
Then He said to the disciples, “The time will come when you will long to see [even] one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
And He called the twelve [disciples] and began to send them out [as His special messengers] two by two, and gave them authority and power over the unclean spirits.
When the hour [for the meal] had come, Jesus reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said, “And we are coming with you.” So they went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
The Lord God has given Me [His Servant] the tongue of disciples [as One who is taught],
That I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple [as One who is taught].
And He said to them, “Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.”
John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not accompanying us [as Your disciple].”
Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord [as Your disciple]; but first let me say goodbye to those at my home.”
Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus (the twin), and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, as well as [John and James] the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.
But Jesus was in the stern, asleep [with His head] on the [sailor’s leather] cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?”
So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man [what is in his future]?”
From Thematic Bible
Discipleship » Conditions of » Secret discipleship, examples of
And after this, Joseph of Arimathea—a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews—asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body.
Yet no one was speaking out openly and freely about Him for fear of [the leaders of] the Jews.
Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (a leader, an authority) among the Jews, Who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know and are certain that You have come from God [as] a Teacher; for no one can do these signs (these wonderworks, these miracles -- "and produce the proofs) that You do unless God is with him.
Nevertheless, even many of the leading men believed in Him [as Savior and Messiah], but because of the Pharisees they would not confess it, for fear that [if they acknowledged Him openly] they would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated);
Discipleship » Tests of
When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these [others do -- "with reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion, as one loves the Father]? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You [that I have deep, instinctive, personal affection for You, as for a close friend]. He said to him, Feed My lambs. Again He said to him the second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion, as one loves the Father]? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You [that I have a deep, instinctive, personal affection for You, as for a close friend]. He said to him, Shepherd (tend) My sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, instinctive, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]? Peter was grieved (was saddened and hurt) that He should ask him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [that I have a deep, instinctive, personal affection for You, as for a close friend]. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. read more.
I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, when you were young you girded yourself [put on your own belt or girdle] and you walked about wherever you pleased to go. But when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will put a girdle around you and carry you where you do not wish to go. He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. And after this, He said to him, Follow Me!
Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [ out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father Who is in heaven and confess [that I am abiding in] him. But whoever denies and disowns Me before men, I also will deny and disown him before My Father Who is in heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. read more.
For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a newly married wife from her mother-in-law -- " And a man's foes will be they of his own household. He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [ cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his [ lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own] father and mother [ in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters -- "[yes] and even his own life also -- "he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after (follow) Me cannot be My disciple.
Discipleship » Followers, blessings promised to » Heavenly honour
Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father];
Jesus said to him,
Discipleship » Followers, blessings promised to » A divine example
These are the ones who have not been defiled [by relations] with women, for they are celibate. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased and redeemed from among men [of Israel] as the first fruits [sanctified and set apart for special service] for God and the Lamb.
For [as a believer] you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in His footsteps.
Discipleship » Followers, blessings promised to » Spiritual knowledge
“So let us know and become personally acquainted with Him; let us press on to know and understand fully the [greatness of the] Lord [to honor, heed, and deeply cherish Him].
His appearing is prepared and is as certain as the dawn,
And He will come to us [in salvation] like the [heavy] rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.”
Discipleship » Conditions of » Self-denial and cross-bearing
Then Jesus said to His disciples,
Discipleship » Followers, blessings promised to » Guidance of the still small voice
Discipleship » Conditions of » Renunciation
Discipleship » Conditions of » Leaving all
Discipleship » Followers, blessings promised to » Spiritual light
Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said,
Discipleship » Conditions of » Steadfastness
So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him,
Discipleship » Conditions of » Fruitfulness
Topics on Discipleship
discipleship, benefits of
John 8:12Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said,
discipleship, cost of
Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to His disciples,
discipleship, nature of
John 6:45Secret Discipleship
John 3:1-2Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (member of the Sanhedrin) among the Jews,
