115 Bible Verses about discipleship, nature of

It is written in the prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who hears from the Father and learns comes to me.

And all your children [shall be] pupils of Yahweh, and the peace of your children [shall be] great.

because I [am] Yahweh your God, and you must keep yourselves sanctified, so that you shall be holy, because I [am] holy. And you must not make yourselves unclean with any swarmer that moves along on the land, because I [am] Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be for you as God. Thus you shall be holy, because I [am] holy.

And another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead!"

"Speak to all the community of the {Israelites}, and say to them, 'You must be holy, because I, Yahweh your God, [am] holy.

And immediately they left their nets [and] followed him.

" 'And you shall consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy, because I [am] Yahweh your God.

And immediately they left their nets [and] followed him.

Therefore become imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, just as also Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant smell.

But also our [people] must learn to engage in good deeds for necessary needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.

but as the one who called you [is] holy, [you] yourselves be holy in all [your] conduct, for it is written, "You will be holy, because I [am] holy."

And immediately they left the boat and their father [and] followed him.

Turn from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.

Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men [and] went away after him.

Turn aside from evil and do good and [so] abide forever.

For I have given you an example, that just as I have done for you, you also do.

And [after they] brought [their] boats to the land, they left everything [and] followed him.

Learn to do good! Seek justice! Rescue [the] oppressed! Defend [the] orphan! Plead for [the] widow!

But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard [about] him, and you were taught by him (just as truth is in Jesus),

And he died for all, in order that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.

I desire you [with all] my soul in the night; also I seek you [with] my spirit within me, for when your judgments [are] {upon} the earth, [the] inhabitants of [the] world learn righteousness.

Think this in yourselves which [was] also in Christ Jesus,

For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore whether we live [or] whether we die, we are the Lord's.

And he said to them, "{Follow me} and I will make you fishers of people."

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps,

in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.

And Jesus said to them, "{Follow} me and I will make you become fishers of people."

The one who says [that he] resides in him ought also to walk just as that one walked.

So when he had washed their feet and taken his outer clothing and reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you speak correctly, for I am. If then I--[your] Lord and Teacher--wash your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.read more.
For I have given you an example, that just as I have done for you, you also do. Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand these [things], you are blessed if you do them.

And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the [son] of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name--that one will teach you all [things], and will remind you of everything that I said to you.

"Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have spoken these [things] to you in order that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be made complete.read more.
This is my commandment: that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

for the Holy Spirit will teach you in [that] same hour what it is necessary to say."

But when he--the Spirit of truth--comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will proclaim to you the things to come.

The one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.

And he said to another, "Follow me!" But he said, "Lord, first allow me to go [and] bury my father." But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead! But you go [and] proclaim the kingdom of God."

[things] which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in [words] taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual [things] to spiritual [people].

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me will find it.

And [as] Jesus was going away from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth and said to him, "Follow me!" And he stood up [and] followed him.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, {the glorious Father}, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him

And summoning the crowd together with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me and of the gospel will save it.

And [as he] was passing by, he saw Levi the [son] of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me!" And he stood up [and] followed him.

that he may grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, [that] Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (you having been firmly rooted and established in love), in order that you may be strong enough to grasp together with all the saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and height, and depth,read more.
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, in order that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

And he said to [them] all, "If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me, this person will save it.

to whom it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you with reference to the same [things] which now have been announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, {things into which} angels desire to look.

And after these [things], he went out and saw a tax collector {named} Levi sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me!"

And he commanded them that they take along nothing for the journey except only a staff--no bread, no traveler's bag, no money in their belts--

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give [the proceeds] to the poor--and you will have treasure in heaven--and come, follow me."

And [the things] which you have learned and received and heard about and seen in me, practice these [things], and the God of peace will be with you.

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and furthermore, even his own life, {he cannot be} my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and {follow} me {cannot be} my disciple.

And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one [thing]: Go, sell all that you have, and give [the proceeds] to the poor--and you will have treasure in heaven--and come, follow me."

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses [it] will keep it.

[Remember] the day that you stood {before} Yahweh your God at Horeb {when Yahweh said to me}, 'Summon for me the people so that I can tell them my words, that they may learn to fear me all [of] the days they [are] alive on the earth and so [that] they may teach their children.'

And [when he] heard [this], Jesus said to him, "{You still lack one thing}: Sell all that you have, and distribute [the proceeds] to the poor--and you will have treasure in heaven--and come, follow me."

The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world preserves it for eternal life.

And [then] Moses summoned all [of] Israel and said to them, "Hear, Israel, the rules and the regulations that I [am] speaking in your ears {today}, and you shall learn them, and {you must observe them diligently}.

On the next day he wanted to depart for Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me!"

[that] you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man (in accordance with God), who is created in righteousness and holiness from the truth.

Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little children and your aliens that are in your {towns}, so that they may hear and so that they may learn and they may revere Yahweh your God, and {they shall diligently observe} all the words of this law.

(Now he said this to indicate by what kind of death he would glorify God.) And [after he] had said this, he said to him, "Follow me!"

Now I have applied these things, brothers, to myself and Apollos for your sake, in order that in us you may learn not [to go] beyond what is written, lest someone be inflated with pride on behalf of one [person] against the other.

Therefore you be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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

A disciple is not superior to [his] teacher, but everyone, [when he] is fully trained, will be like his teacher.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Become imitators of me, just as I also [am] of Christ.

because [those] whom he foreknew, he also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.

Become fellow imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who walk in this way, just as you have us [as] an example.

And summoning the crowd together with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies [as] a living sacrifice, holy [and] pleasing to God, [which is] your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what [is] the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

And he said to [them] all, "If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.

For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate us, that we did not behave irresponsibly among you,

Whoever does not carry his own cross and {follow} me {cannot be} my disciple.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and do not make provision for the desires of the flesh.

A woman must learn in quietness with all submission.

My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

And we all, with unveiled face, reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory into glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to show profound respect for their own household first, and to pay back recompense to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

But you continue in [the things] which you have learned and are convinced [of], [because you] know from whom you learned [them],

Therefore [since we] have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, accomplishing holiness in the fear of God.

If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, [that] we should be holy and blameless before him in love,

These are those who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These [are] the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were bought from humanity [as] first fruits to God and to the Lamb,

whom we proclaim, [by] admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, in order that we may present every person mature in Christ,

[because you] know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.

Therefore, as [the] chosen of God, holy and [dearly] loved, put on affection, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience,

But Jesus called them to himself [and] said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions exercise authority over them. It will not be like this among you! But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be most prominent among you must be your slave--read more.
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life [as] a ransom for many."

in order that the person of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

And Jesus called them to himself [and] said to them, "You know that those who are considered to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their [people] in high positions exercise authority over them. But it is not like this among you! But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be most prominent among you must be the slave of all.read more.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life [as] a ransom for many."

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires [you used to conform to] in your ignorance, but as the one who called you [is] holy, [you] yourselves be holy in all [your] conduct,

not lagging in diligence, being enthusiastic in spirit, serving the Lord,

and [for] this same [reason], and [by] applying all diligence, supply with your faith excellence of character, and with excellence of character, knowledge, and with knowledge, self-control, and with self-control, patient endurance, and with patient endurance, godliness, and with godliness, brotherly love, and with brotherly love, love.

For [they] themselves report about us, what sort of welcome we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve [the] living and true God,

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as that one is pure.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples,

Now there was a man of the Pharisees {whose name was} Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to him at night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that [you are] a teacher who has come from God, for no one is able to perform these signs that you are performing unless God were with him."

The one who has my commandments and keeps them--that one is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him."

Nicodemus, the one who came to him previously--who was one of them--said to them,

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do [what is] pleasing {in his sight}.

For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome,

And Jesus approached [and] spoke to them, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go [and] make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age."

You are the light of the world. A city located on top of a hill cannot be hidden, nor do they light a lamp and place it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines on all those in the house. In the [same] way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

and [the things] which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these [things] to faithful people who will be competent to teach others also.

And he himself gave some [as] apostles and some [as] prophets and some [as] evangelists and some [as] pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to a measure of the maturity of the fullness of Christ,read more.
so that we may no longer be infants, tossed about by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of people, by craftiness with reference to the scheming of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow into him [with reference to] all [things], who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined together and held together by every supporting ligament, according to the working by measure of each single part, the growth of the body makes for the building up of itself in love. This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, [that] you no longer walk as the Gentiles walk: in the futility of their mind,

And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every [branch] that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.read more.
Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither [can] you, unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you [are] the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him--this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples. "Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have spoken these [things] to you in order that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be made complete. This is my commandment: that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I have heard from my Father I have revealed to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, in order that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. These [things] I command you: that you love one another.

"A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another--just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples--if you have love for one another."

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and furthermore, even his own life, {he cannot be} my disciple.

In the [same] way, therefore, every [one] of you who does not renounce all his own possessions {cannot be} my disciple.

But you, speak [the things] which are fitting for sound instruction. Older men are to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, [and] in endurance. Older women likewise [are to be] reverent in [their] behavior, not slanderous, not enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,read more.
in order that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands [and to] love their children, [to be] self-controlled, pure, busy at home, good, being subject to their own husbands, in order that the word of God may not be slandered. Likewise, exhort the young men to be self-controlled, concerning everything showing yourself [to be] an example of good deeds, in your teaching [demonstrating] soundness, dignity, sound message beyond reproach, in order that {an opponent} may be put to shame, [because he] has nothing bad to say concerning us.

And [as] they were traveling on the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go!" And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky [have] nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay [his] head." And he said to another, "Follow me!" But he said, "Lord, first allow me to go [and] bury my father."read more.
But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead! But you go [and] proclaim the kingdom of God." And another [person] also said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say farewell to those in my house." But Jesus said, "No one who puts [his] hand on the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God!"