²³ And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [^[a]disown himself, ^[b]forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, ^[c]refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [^[d]cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].

²⁴ For whoever would preserve his life and save it will lose and destroy it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [^[e]from the penalty of eternal death].

²⁴ No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be ^[a]against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (^[b]deceitful riches, money, possessions, or ^[c]whatever is trusted in).

¹⁵ Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.

¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].

¹⁷ And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.