⁶ And formed us into a kingdom (a royal race), priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen (so be it).^(A)

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own ^[a]purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.^(A)

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].

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.

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].

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].

²¹ And Jesus, looking upon him, loved him, and He said to him, You lack one thing; go and sell all you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come [and] accompany Me [^[a]walking the same road that I walk].

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.

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].

¹⁶ By this we come to know (progressively to recognize, to perceive, to understand) the [essential] love: that He laid down His [own] life for us; and we ought to lay [our] lives down for [those who are our] brothers [^[a]in Him].