³⁸ And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [^[a]cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.

³⁹ Whoever finds his [^[b]lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].

²⁵ And Jesus called them to Him and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men hold them in subjection [tyrannizing over them].

²⁶ Not so shall it be among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant,

²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you must be your slave—

²⁸ Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [the price paid to set them free].

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [^[a]cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].

²⁵ For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].

³⁴ And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and ^[a]lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [^[b]joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow ^[c]with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].

³⁵ For whoever wants to save his [^[d]higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the ^[e]lower, natural, temporal life ^[f]which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his ^[g]higher, spiritual life ^[h]in the eternal kingdom of God].

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].

³³ Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve and ^[a]quicken it.

²⁵ Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.]

¹³ No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.

¹³ For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever.

¹⁵ And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake.