49 Bible Verses about Self Sacrifice

For whoever has a desire to keep his life will have it taken from him, but whoever gives up his life because of me, will keep it.

And Boaz answering said to her, I have had news of everything you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband; how you went away from your father and mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people who are strange to you.

So now let me be my lord's servant here in place of the boy, and let him go back with his brothers. For how may I go back to my father without the boy, and see the evil which will come on my father?

For you had pity on those who were in prison, and had joy in the loss of your property, in the knowledge that you still had a better property and one which you would keep for ever.

By faith Moses, when he became a man, had no desire to be named the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Feeling that it was better to undergo pain with the people of God, than for a short time to have a taste of the pleasures of sin; Judging a part in the shame of Christ to be better than all the wealth of Egypt; for he was looking forward to his reward.read more.
By faith he went out of Egypt, not being turned from his purpose by fear of the wrath of the king; for he kept on his way, as seeing him who is unseen.

Jesus said to him, If you have a desire to be complete, go, get money for your property, and give it to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven: and come after me.

And Jesus, looking on him and loving him, said, There is one thing needed: go, get money for your goods, and give it to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven: and come with me.

And Jesus, hearing it, said to him, One thing you still have need of; get money for your goods, and give it away to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven; and come after me.

Give what property you have in exchange for money, and give the money to the poor; make for yourselves money-bags which will not get old, wealth stored up in heaven which will be yours for ever, where thieves will not come nor worms put it to destruction.

And Peter said, See, we have given up what is ours to come after you. And he said to them, Truly I say to you, There is no man who has given up house or wife or brothers or father or mother or children, because of the kingdom of God, Who will not get much more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.

Then Peter said to him, See, we have given up everything and have come after you; what then will we have? And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you that in the time when all things are made new, and the Son of man is seated in his glory, you who have come after me will be seated on twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or child, or land, for my name, will be given a hundred times as much, and have eternal life.

Peter said to him, See, we have given up everything, and come after you. Jesus said, Truly I say to you, There is no man who has given up house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or land, because of me and the good news, Who will not get a hundred times as much now in this time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land--though with great troubles; and, in the world to come, eternal life.

And all those who were of the faith kept together, and had all things in common; And exchanging their goods and property for money, they made division of it among them all, as they had need.

And all those who were of the faith were one in heart and soul: and not one of them said that any of the things which he had was his property only; but they had all things in common. And with great power the Apostles gave witness of the coming back of the Lord Jesus from the dead; and grace was on them all. And no one among them was in need; for everyone who had land or houses, exchanging them for money, took the price of them,read more.
And put it at the feet of the Apostles for distribution to everyone as he had need. And Joseph, who was given by the Apostles the name of Barnabas (the sense of which is, Son of comfort), a Levite and a man of Cyprus by birth, Having a field, got money for it and put the money at the feet of the Apostles.

And now we give you news, brothers, about the grace of God which has been given to the churches of Macedonia; How while they were undergoing every sort of trouble, and were in the greatest need, they took all the greater joy in being able to give freely to the needs of others. For I give them witness, that as they were able, and even more than they were able, they gave from the impulse of their hearts,read more.
Seriously requesting us that they might have a part in this grace of being servants to the needs of the saints: And going even farther than our hope, they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us after the purpose of God.

And so whoever is not ready to give up all he has may not be my disciple.

He who has more love for his father or mother than for me is not good enough for me; he who has more love for son or daughter than for me is not good enough for me.

And turning round, he said to them, If any man comes to me, and has not hate for his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even for his life, he may not be my disciple.

And after these things he went out, and saw Levi, a tax-farmer, seated at the place where taxes were taken, and said to him, Come after me. And giving up his business, he got up and went after him.

Yes truly, and I am ready to give up all things for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, which is more than all: for whom I have undergone the loss of all things, and to me they are less than nothing, so that I may have Christ as my reward,

Truly I say to you, If a seed of grain does not go into the earth and come to an end, it is still a seed and no more; but through its death it gives much fruit. He who is in love with life will have it taken from him; and he who has no care for his life in this world will keep it for ever and ever.

And he who does not take his cross and come after me is not good enough for me.

Whoever does not take up his cross and come after me may not be my disciple.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him give up all, and take up his cross, and come after me. Because whoever has a desire to keep his life safe will have it taken from him; but whoever gives up his life because of me, will have it given back to him.

And turning to the mass of people with his disciples, he said to them, If any man has the desire to come after me, let him give up all other desires, and take up his cross and come after me. Whoever has a desire to keep his life, will have it taken from him; and whoever gives up his life because of me and the good news, will keep it.

And he said to them all, If any man has a desire to come after me, let him give up all, and take up his cross every day, and come after me. For whoever has a desire to keep his life will have it taken from him, but whoever gives up his life because of me, will keep it.

If anyone makes an attempt to keep his life, it will be taken from him, but if anyone gives up his life, he will keep it.

In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers. But if a man has this world's goods, and sees that his brother is in need, and keeps his heart shut against his brother, how is it possible for the love of God to be in him? My little children, do not let our love be in word and in tongue, but let it be in act and in good faith.

In our bodies there is ever the mark of the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be seen in our bodies. For, while living, we are still being given up to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be seen in our flesh, though it is under the power of death.

For though I was free from all men, I made myself a servant to all, so that more might have salvation. And to the Jews I was as a Jew, so that I might give the good news to them; to those under the law I was the same, not as being myself under the law, but so that I might give the good news to those under the law. To those without the law I was as one without the law, not as being without law to God, but as under law to Christ, so that I might give the good news to those without the law.read more.
To the feeble, I was as one who is feeble, so that they might have salvation: I have been all things to all men, so that some at least might have salvation. And I do all things for the cause of the good news, so that I may have a part in it.

And why are we in danger every hour? Yes, truly, by your pride in me, my brothers in Christ Jesus our Lord, my life is one long death.

Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking foolishly) I am more so; I have had more experience of hard work, of prisons, of blows more than measure, of death. Five times the Jews gave me forty blows but one. Three times I was whipped with rods, once I was stoned, three times the ship I was in came to destruction at sea, a night and a day I have been in the water;read more.
In frequent travels, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from outlaws, in dangers from my countrymen, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the town, in dangers in the waste land, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers; In hard work and weariness, in frequent watchings, going without food and drink, cold and in need of clothing. In addition to all the other things, there is that which comes on me every day, the care of all the churches. Who is feeble and I am not feeble? who is in danger of falling, and I am not angry?

And I will gladly give all I have for your souls. If I have the more love for you, am I to be loved the less?

And brother will give up brother to death, and the father his child: and children will go against their fathers and mothers, and put them to death. And you will be hated by all men because of my name: but he who is strong to the end will have salvation.

And brother will give up brother to death, and the father his child; and children will go against their fathers and mothers, and put them to death. And you will be hated by all men, because of my name; but he who goes through to the end will have salvation.

But you will be given up even by your fathers and mothers, your brothers and relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. And you will be hated by all men, because of me.

And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.

Only that the Holy Spirit makes clear to me in every town that prison and pains are waiting for me. But I put no value on my life, if only at the end of it I may see the work complete which was given to me by the Lord Jesus, to be a witness of the good news of the grace of God.

But now, if you will give them forgiveness--but if not, let my name be taken out of your book.

And three of the thirty went down to David, to the rock, into the strong place of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim. At that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem. And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem by the doorway into the town!read more.
So the three, forcing a way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David; but David would not take it, but made an offering of it, draining it out to the Lord, Saying, By my God, far be it from me to do this! How may I take as drink the life-blood of these men who have put their lives in danger? so he did not take it. These things did the three great men of war.

And he went forward a little, and falling down on his face in prayer, he said, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup go from me; but let not my pleasure, but yours be done.

And he went forward a little, and falling down on the earth, made request that, if possible, the hour might go from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; take away this cup from me: but even so let not my pleasure, but yours be done.

Father, if it is your pleasure, take this cup from me: but still, let your pleasure, not mine, be done.

And even if I am offered like a drink offering, giving myself for the cause and work of your faith, I am glad and have joy with you all:

And Stephen, while he was being stoned, made prayer to God, saying, Lord Jesus, take my spirit. And going down on his knees, he said in a loud voice, Lord, do not make them responsible for this sin. And when he had said this, he went to his rest.

And she said to him, My father, you have made an oath to the Lord; do then to me whatever you have said; for the Lord has sent a full reward on your haters, on the children of Ammon. Then she said to her father, Only do this for me: let me have two months to go away into the mountains with my friends, weeping for my sad fate. And he said, Go then. So he sent her away for two months; and she went with her friends to the mountains, weeping for her sad fate.

Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus, To whom, though himself in the form of God, it did not seem that to take for oneself was to be like God; But he made himself as nothing, taking the form of a servant, being made like men;read more.
And being seen in form as a man, he took the lowest place, and let himself be put to death, even the death of the cross.

And others were tested by being laughed at or by blows, and even with chains and prisons: They were stoned, they were cut up with knives, they were tested, they were put to death with the sword, they went about in sheepskins and in goatskins; being poor and in pain and cruelly attacked, Wandering in waste places and in mountains and in holes in the rocks; for whom the world was not good enough.

And I saw high seats, and they were seated on them, and the right of judging was given to them: and I saw the souls of those who were put to death for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and those who did not give worship to the beast, or to his image, and had not his mark on their brows or on their hands; and they were living and ruling with Christ a thousand years.