Bible verses about "discipleship" | JMNT

²⁴ At that point Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone continues intending (purposing; willing; wanting) to come on behind Me, let him at once deny, reject and disown himself, and then in one move lift up his execution state (cross), and after that proceed to be by habit continuously following after Me! ²⁵ "You see, whoever may intend (or: should purpose; might set his will; happens to want) to keep his soul-life safe (to rescue himself; to preserve the interior life that he is living) will continue loosing-it-away and destroying it. Yet whoever can loose-away and even destroy his soul-life (the interior self) on My account, he will continue finding it!

⁴⁰ "A disciple (or: student) is not over the teacher, but yet upon having been thoroughly prepared and adjusted down (= instructed and adapted), he will continue being like (or: as) his teacher.

²⁶ "If anyone continues coming to (or: toward) Me, and does not habitually regard with a negative will (= put lesser importance to; hate, in the sense of giving less preference to) his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters – and still [more], even his own soul-life (his inner being and its concerns; the person which is himself) – he has no power and is unable to be My disciple!

³³ "Thus, then (or: Therefore, in the same manner), everyone from among you folks who is not in the habit of setting-off and arranging-away from himself all his own possessions which are continuing to be his subsistence, he continues with no power and is unable to be My disciple.

³⁴ "I am giving to you men a new implanted goal (an inward purposed directive different from that which had been formerly; an impartation of a finished product and destiny that is new in kind and character): that you folks are to be continuously and progressively loving (or: should constantly love and accept) one another, just as(correspondingly as; to the same level as; in the sphere as) I love you folks so that you also may constantly (or: would habitually) love and accept one another. ³⁵ "Within this, all people will come to know by personal experience that you are (or: continue being) My disciples (students; learners) – if you should constantly hold love within one another (or: have acceptance which overcomes separation and drives toward union among yourselves)."

¹ "I Myself am (exist being) the true (genuine; real) Grapevine, and My Father is (continues being) the One who tends the soil (the Farmer; the One who tills and works the Land; the Cultivator; the Gardener). ² "Every tender branch (shoot or twig which can easily be broken) within Me not habitually bearing (bringing forth; = producing) fruit He regularly lifts up and takes it away. And every one consistently bearing the fruit He periodically clears (or: seasonally cleanses) by pruning, to the end that it can continue bearing more (a greater amount of) fruit. ³ "You folks, yourselves, are already cleared (cleansed) and pruned ones through and because of the word (Logos; message; thought; idea) which I have spoken to you (in you; for you; among you). ⁴ "You folks remain (dwell; abide; stay) within and in union with Me – and I, Myself, [will remain] within and in union with you. Correspondingly as the tender branch is not being consistently able (having continuing power) to repeatedly bear fruit from itself unless it should continually remain (stay; dwell) within (in union with; on) the grapevine, in the same way, neither [can] you folks, unless you may constantly remain (stay; dwell) within (in union with; centered in) Me. ⁵ "I Myself am the Grapevine; you folks [are] the tender branches (shoots or twigs that can be easily broken). The person continuously remaining (dwelling; abiding) within the midst of Me – and I within the midst of and in union with him – this one is repeatedly bearing (bringing forth; = producing) much fruit. [It is the case] that apart from (or: separated from) Me you folks continue having ability and power to do (make; construct; create; form; perform; produce) nothing! ⁶ "If anyone can (or: would; should) not continuously remain (dwell; abide; stay) within the midst of and in union with Me, he is cast (or: thrown) outside – as the tender branch (twig; shoot) – and is caused to dry up and wither. And, they are constantly gathering (or: leading) them together [as in a bundle, or in a synagogue]. And then, they are normally throwing (or: casting) [them] into the fire – and it is progressively kindled (repeatedly ignited; or: habitually lit and progressively burned). ⁷ "If you people can (or: would; should) remain (abide) within the midst of and in union with Me – and My gush-effects (flow of declarations; results of spoken words) can (should; would) remain (abide) within the midst of and in union with you – seek in petition whatever you folks may habitually purpose (constantly intend; repeatedly will; continuously want or desire), and it will proceed coming to be in and among you folks (it will progressively occur for you; it will continue being birthed by you; it will habitually happen to you). ⁸ "My Father is (or: was) glorified (given a good reputation and a manifestation which calls forth praise) within the midst of this, so that you men can continuously bear (or: would keep on bringing forth) much fruit, and thus can (or: would) come to be [with other MSS: will continue becoming] disciples (learners; students; apprentices) by Me (or: in Me; to Me; for Me; with Me; [other MSS: My disciples]). ⁹ "Correspondingly as (or: In the same sphere as; To the same degree as) the Father loves Me – and I Myself also love you folks – at once begin to remain (abide; dwell; stay) within the midst of (and: in union with; centered in) My love! ¹⁰ "Whenever you may (or: should) observe, watch over, guard and keep in view My implanted goals (impartations of the finished product within; inward directives; interior purposes and destinies), you will continue remaining (abiding; dwelling) within the midst of, in union with, and centered in My love, correspondingly as (or: to the same level as) I, Myself, have watched over, observed, guarded and now keep My Father's directives implanted goals (impartations of the finished product within; inward directives; interior purposes and destinies) and continuously remain (or: dwell) within the midst of His love. ¹¹ "I have spoken these things to you to the end that My joy would (or: can; should) remain and continuously exist within the midst of you people, and that your joy may be filled full (or: fulfilled). ¹² "This is My implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive; interior purpose and destiny): that you keep on loving and accepting one another – correspondingly as (to the same degree as; in the same sphere as) I love and accept you folks. ¹³ "No one continues holding (or: having) greater love than this: that someone should place (set; lay; lay down) his soul (or: soul-life; inner being; self; person) over [the situation or circumstances of] (or: on behalf of) his friends. ¹⁴ "You folks are (exist continuously being) My friends! So if you can – or would – [simply] keep on doing (or: be habitually producing) whatever I Myself am constantly imparting as the goal in you (or: repeatedly giving as inner direction to you; progressively implanting as the end for you; now implanting as the interior purpose and destiny by you)! ... ¹⁵ "I am no longer calling (or: terming) you people slaves, because the slave has not seen and does not know (or: is not aware of) what his owner (lord; master) is habitually doing. Yet now I have declared you folks friends, because I make intimately and experientially known to you everything (or: all things) which I heard and hear at My Father's side and in His presence. ¹⁶ "You yourselves did not choose Me, but to the contrary I, Myself, selected and picked out (or: chose) you folks and placed (or: set) you, to the end that you would (or: can; may) progressively lead and bring [situations] under control (or: humbly go your way) and would (or: can; should) be constantly bearing (bringing forth) fruit, and your fruit may continuously remain (stay; abide), so that whatever you may seek in petition from the Father – in My Name – He at a certain point would (or: may suddenly; [other MSS: will proceed to]) give [it] to you. ¹⁷ "I repeatedly give you these goal-oriented inner directions (impartations of the end and destiny in view) so that you can and would habitually be loving and accepting one another.

¹ Progressively come to be imitators of me, correspondingly as I, myself, also [am] of Christ and from [the] Anointing.

¹ You yourself, however, keep on speaking what things continue being fitting for, suitable in and proper to sound and healthy teaching. ² Old (or: Aged; Older) men are to habitually be moderate and sober in the use of wine, serious (grave; solemn; dignified; worthy of respect and honor), sound of mind with a rational (or: sane; sensible) and wholesome way of thinking and attitude, being continuously sound and healthy in the Faith (or: by trust; with loyalty; for confidence), in (or: by; with) the Love, in (or: by; with) the Remaining-under in support (or: the persistent, patient endurance). ³ Old (or: Aged; Older) women, similarly (or: likewise), [are to be] women in a state and resultant condition proper and fitting for being engaged in the sacred (suitable in demeanor for serving the temple; or: = living a life appropriate [for] a person [being] a temple), not folks who thrust-through or hurl [a weapon, or something hurtful] through [someone] (or: not devils nor slanderous adversaries which bring division and hurt), nor women having been enslaved by (or: to) much wine. [They are to be] teachers of beauty and of what is fine, excellent and ideal, ⁴ to the end that they can (or: may; would) habitually bring the young women to their senses (or: cause new [wives] to be sound-minded and with a healthy attitude) to habitually be affectionate, friendly, loving and fond of passionately kissing their husbands [and] children, ⁵ ones sound of mind with a rational (or: sane; sensible; clear headed) and wholesome way of thinking and attitude, untouched so as to be undefiled and pure (chaste), workers at home (domestic; = mistress of the house), good (virtuous; with qualities of excellence), being women that are by habit supportively aligned to (or: continue being humbly arranged for) their own husbands, to the end that God's thought and idea (God's Logos; God's Word; God's message) can not be constantly blasphemed (abusively defamed; misrepresented). ⁶ Similarly (or: Likewise), be repeatedly and habitually doing the work of a paraclete: calling the younger men alongside to give them relief or support, and to encourage them to be continuously sound in mind (sane; sensible) and to be keeping a wholesome attitude and way of thinking about everything – ⁷ [while] constantly holding yourself at [their] side, offering (tendering; presenting; exhibiting) yourself [as] a model (example; pattern; an impression) of beautiful actions (fine deeds and ideal works), [exhibiting] incorruptness (absence of spoil or ruin; incapability of decay) [and] seriousness (gravity; dignity) [p32 & other MSS add: freedom from envy; willingness] within the teaching: ⁸ [presenting] a healthful message (a sound word; a thought or idea full of and promoting health): one without down-oriented knowledge and not bringing a downward experience, thus being unworthy of – and not containing any – condemnation (or: uncensurable), so that the person in the contrary and opposing position (or: [acting] out of contrariness) can (may; would) be turned back within himself (or: be put to shame and be made to show reverence and regard), continuing having nothing slight or mean (cheap; paltry; ill; sorry; good-for-nothing; thoughtless) to be saying about us.

³¹ Therefore, Jesus began saying to the Jews who had trusted and were now believing by Him (or: in Him), "If you yourselves would remain (can dwell; should abide) within My word (My message; My communication; My expressed thought; My Idea), you folks are, and continue being, truly (really; genuinely) My disciples (or: learners from Me), ³² "and you will progressively come to know the Truth (or: Reality; that which is unsealed, open and without concealment) by intimate experience, and the Truth (Reality) will progressively liberate and make (or: set) you free!"

²³ Now He went on to say to them, "If anyone continues willing and intending to progressively come after Me, let him at once lift up and carry his execution stake (or: cross), daily, and be habitually following after Me.

⁴² So they were continuing strongly focused toward and persevering in and by, while devoting themselves to, the teaching of the sent-forth folks (the emissaries; the representatives) and to the common existence and in the common being, to sharing, partnering, contributing and in the participation in the breaking of the loaves of bread (= eating meals), as well as to, in and by the thoughts, words and deeds that were focused toward having goodness, ease and well-being (or: prayers).

² And whatever you hear (or: heard) from my side through many witnesses, at once place (or: set) these things to the side for people full of faith (or: deposit and commit these things, in trust for safekeeping, to trustworthy and loyal people; inculcate these things in reliable humans) – whosoever will be competent (or: adequately qualified) to also teach others (or: different folks).

¹¹ And He Himself at one point gave (or: gives; [p46: has given and it now exists as a gift]), on the one hand (or: indeed), the folks sent off with a commission (the emissaries; the representatives), yet also those who have light ahead of time andspeak it before others (the prophets), and on the other hand those who announce goodness and well-being and bring good news, and then the shepherds, and finally teachers (or: the shepherds-and-instructors), ¹² facing and with a viewtoward the bringing down of the fresh and timely, for the preparation (mending; knitting together; adjusting; fitting; repairing; perfectly adjusting adaptation; equipping; completely furnishing) of the set-apart folks (the saints; the holy ones) untoa work (or: into an action; into the midst of a deed or task) of attending service, [leading] unto (or: into) construction (house-building) of the body which is the Christ (or: whose source, character and quality is from the Anointed One; or: the body formed by the Anointing), ¹³ [to go on] until we the whole of mankind (all people) can (or: would) come downto the goal (or: attain; arrive at; meet accordingly; meet down face-to-face): into the state of oneness fromThe Faithfulness (or: the unity of, that belongs to and which characterizes that which is faith; or: the lack of division which has its source in trust, confidence and reliability, and has the character of being loyal), and of the full, experiential and intimate knowledge (or: recognition; discovery; insight) from (or: of) the Son of God, [growing] into [the] purposed and destined (or: complete; finished; mature; full-grown; perfect; goal-attained) adult man into (or: unto) [the] measure of [the] stature (full age; prime of life) of the entire content which comprises the Anointed One (or: which is the result of the full number which is the Christ; of the effect of the fullness from the [Messiah]; of the effect of that which fills and completes that which pertains to the Christ; of the result of the filling from, and which is, the Christ) ¹⁴ to the end that no longer (or: no more) wouldor shouldwe exist beinginfants (immature folks; not-yet-speaking ones), continuously being tossed by (= being caused to fluctuate from) [successive] waves and repeatedly being carried hither and thither (or: around in circles) by every wind of the teaching (or: from what is taught) within the caprice (the throw of the dice; versatile artifice; games of chance; the trickery) of mankind, in readiness to do anything (amoral craftiness; working everything; or: = while stopping at nothing) with a viewtoward and leading to the methodical treatment (or: the systematizing or technical procedure) of The Wandering (the straying; the deception). ¹⁵ But continuously being real and true (living in accord with reality and the facts; holding to, speaking, pursuing and walking in Truth; truthing it) within, and in union with, love, we can grow up (enlarge; increase) into Him the ALL which is the Head: Christ (or: [and] we would in love make all things grow up into Him Who is the head and source: [the] Anointed One)!

¹⁷ This, then, I am continually saying and giving evidence of (or: attesting) within the Lord: no longer are you to be continuously walking [your path] (i.e., conducting yourself; adjusting your behavior) according to the way that the nations (the multitudes; the non-Israelites; the Gentiles; the ethnic or special or pagan groups) are continuously walking around (ordering their behavior) within the emptiness (vanity; frivolity; futility) of their mind (or: intellect),

¹⁶ from out of Whom (or: out from the midst of Which) all the Body (or: the entire body) being continuously fitted and framed together (made a common joint by a word; laid out and closely joined together) and constantly being knit together and caused to mount up united through every fastening (or: joint) of the supply of rich furnishings (or: through every assimilation of the full supply of funds; through every touch {kindling; setting on fire} of the completely supplied requirements) in accord with (or: down from; commensurate to) the operation (operative, effectual energy) within [the] measure of each one part [other MSS: member], is itself continually making (or: is for itself progressively producing and forming) the growth and increase of the Body, [focused on and leading] into house-construction (or: unto building [up] and edification) of itself within the midst of, and in union with, love.

¹⁴ "You folks, yourselves, exist being (are) the light of the ordered System (the world of culture, religion, politics, government and secular society; = the human sociological realm). A city located up on a mountain (or: situated on top of a mountain range) continues unable to be hidden or concealed. ¹⁵ "Likewise, people are not normally lighting a lamp and then placing it under the measuring bowl (or: a one-peck grain-measuring basket), but rather upon the lampstand – and it continues shining and giving light for all those within the house. ¹⁶ "In this way, let the Light, which you folks possess (or: which has a source in you folks; or: which you people are), shine in front of mankind (before humans), so that people can see your fine works (or: the beautiful works that you are; the ideal acts which come from you folks) and they can give glory to (or: and [these deeds; or: these works of beauty] will bring a good reputation for) your Father – the One in union with the atmospheres [that surround you folks] (or: within the midst of the heavens)!

²⁷ "Whoever is not habitually picking up and carrying his own execution stake (or: the cross of himself; the cross which pertains to, or is, himself) and then continuing in coming behind Me – he has no power and is unable to be My disciple!

¹⁸ And so, after approaching, Jesus, [breaking the silence], suddenly spoke to them, by saying, "All authority (or: Every right and privilege from out of Being) is (or: was at once) given to Me within heaven and upon the earth (or: in sky and atmosphere, as well as on land)! ¹⁹ "Therefore, while going on your way, instruct and make disciples (at some point enlist students and apprentices) of all the ethnic multitudes (the pagans; the Gentiles; the nations; the non-Israelites), habitually immersing them [i.e., the people (masculine pronoun)] (or: one-after-another [B & D read: at some point] baptizing them to the point of infusion and saturation) into the Name which has reference to, belongs to, has its origin and character in, and which represents, the Father and the Son, as well as the Set-apart Breath-effect (or: the Name from the Father, as well as from the Son, and even which is the Holy Spirit; or: the Name of the Father and of the Son – even of the Holy Spirit; or: the Father's Name, even the Son's, and which pertains to the Sacred Breath; or: the Name belonging to the Father and the Son, and which is the Sacred Attitude; or: the Name of the Father, and then of the Son, and which comes from the se-apart Spirit; or: the Name which represents the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; or: the Name which comes from the Father, belongs to the Son, and corresponds to the Holy result of the Breath), [note: Eusebius gives this as "Go and make disciples of all the nations in my name." – Eusebius: The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine, translated by G. A. Williamson, Barnes & Noble Books, 1995, p 111. Williamson footnotes: "Matt. 28:19, in a simpler, perhaps a more primitive form." comment: this may have been a paraphrase; it may come from a lost MS tradition; it may represent an interpretation of this verse in the early AD 300's; cf Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5] ²⁰ "constantly teaching and progressively training them to habitually watch over, guard, keep and maintain everything (or: all things) – as many things as I Myself implanted as goals (imparted as the finished product within; gave as interior, destiny-laden directives) in and for you folks. And now – look and consider this! – I Myself continuously am (exist being) with you folks all the days, on until the joint-goal (or: the conjunction; the end [of all] brought together; the conclusion, consummation and fruition; the combined finished product and actualization) of the age (or: which is that Age [= the Age of the Messiah]; or: as far as the attending and associated end of this age; or: until the consummation brought by the Age [of Messiah])." [written circa A.D. 40-60 – Based on the critical analysis of John A.T. Robinson]