Amplified Bible
Mark 8:34
34Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “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].
Mark 8:34 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
- New International Version (NIV)Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Context of Mark 8:34
32He was stating the matter plainly [not holding anything back]. Then Peter took Him aside and began to reprimand Him. 33But 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.” Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “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]. 35For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake and the gospel’s will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God]. 36For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world [with all its pleasures], and forfeit his soul?
Read all of Mark 8Mark 8:34 word by word
καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν ὄχλον σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἀκολουθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- when he had calledπροσκαλέωproskaleomai · to call to/summonG4341
- the peopleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the peopleὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
- withσύνsun · withG4862
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
- he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Whosoeverὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- afterὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- let him denyἀπαρνέομαιaparneomai · to denyG533
- himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- take upαἴρωairō · to take upG142
- crossσταυρόςstauros · crossG4716
- followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
Cross-references for Mark 8:34
- Mark 7:14After He called the people to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen [carefully] to Me, all of you, [hear] and understand [what I am saying]:
- Luke 9:23And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [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].
- Luke 20:45And with all the people listening, He said to His disciples,
- Mark 9:43If your hand causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It is better for you to enter life crippled, than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,
- Matthew 5:29If your right eye makes you stumble and leads you to sin, tear it out and throw it away [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
- Matthew 7:13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it.
- Matthew 16:24Then 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].
- Luke 13:24“Strive to enter through the narrow door [force aside unbelief and the attractions of sin]; for many, I tell you, will try to enter [by their own works] and will not be able.
- Luke 14:27Whoever 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.
- Romans 15:1Now we who are strong [in our convictions and faith] ought to [patiently] put up with the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not just please ourselves.
- 1 Corinthians 8:13Therefore, if [my eating a certain] food causes my brother to stumble (sin), I will not eat [such] meat ever again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
- 1 Corinthians 9:19For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to everyone, so that I may win more [for Christ].
- Philippians 3:7But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life].
- Mark 10:21Looking at him, Jesus felt a love (high regard, compassion) for him, and He said to him, “You lack one thing: go and sell all your property and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have [abundant] treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].”
- Matthew 10:38And he who does not take 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] is not worthy of Me.
- Matthew 27:32Now as they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced into service to carry the cross of Jesus.
Commentaries on Mark 8:34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34Whosoever will come after me - It seems that Christ formed, on the proselytism of the Jews, the principal qualities which he required in the proselytes of his covenant. The first condition of proselytism among the Jews was, that he that came to embrace their religion should come voluntarily, and that neither force nor influence should be employed in this business. This is also the first condition required by Jesus Christ, and which he considers as the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27-38Verses 27-38 See this passage illustrated in the notes at Mark 8:32 He spake that saying openly - With boldness or confidence, or without parables or figures, so that there could be no possibility of misunderstanding him. Mark 8:38 Ashamed of me - Ashamed to own attachment to me on account of my lowly appearance and my poverty. And of my words - My doctrines, my instructions. This adulterous and sinful generation - This age given to wickedness…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 34-38Verses 34-38 Frequent notice is taken of the great flocking there was to Christ for help in various cases. All are concerned to know this, if they expect him to heal their souls. They must not indulge the ease of the body. As the happiness of heaven with Christ, is enough to make up for the loss of life itself for him, so the gain of all the world in sin, will not make up for the ruin of the soul by sin. And there is a day coming, when the cause of Christ…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 34-38Jesus invites his disciples and the crowd to understand what following him will cost them. must deny himself: This means letting Jesus decide your goals and purposes in life. Taking up your cross is a metaphor (compare Luke 9:23). It means being faithful to Jesus, even to the point of death if necessary. Following the teachings and example of Jesus requires continual commitment.Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 8:34
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Mark 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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