Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him ^(A)deny himself and ^(B)take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵ For ^(C)whoever would save his life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

¹⁸ And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, ¹⁹ but ^(A)the cares of ^(B)the world and ^(C)the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. ²⁰ But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and ^(D)bear fruit, ^(E)thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, ^(A)as you have always ^(B)obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for ^(C)it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ^(D)his good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things ^(E)without grumbling or ^(F)disputing, ¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, ^(G)children of God ^(H)without blemish ^(I)in the midst of ^(J)a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine ^(K)as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast to ^(L)the word of life, so that in ^(M)the day of Christ ^(N)I may be proud that ^(O)I did not run in vain or labor in vain. ¹⁷ Even if I am to be ^(P)poured out as a drink offering upon ^(Q)the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸ Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.