Luke - 9:23



23 He said to all, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Luke 9:23.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
And he said unto all, 'If any one doth will to come after me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me;
And He said to all, "If any one is desirous of following me, let him ignore self and take up his cross day by day, and so be my follower.
And he said to them all, If any man has a desire to come after me, let him give up all, and take up his cross every day, and come after me.
He said to all, 'If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Then he said to everyone: "If anyone is willing to come after me: let him deny himself, and take up his cross every day, and follow me.
And to all present he said, "If any one wishes to walk in my steps, they must renounce self, and take up their cross daily, and follow me.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

If any man will come after me - See on Matthew 16:24 (note), and on Mark 8:34 (note), where the nature of proselytism among the Jews is explained.
Daily - Καθ' ἡμεραν is omitted by many reputable MSS., versions, and fathers. It is not found in the parallel places, Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34.

And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (g) daily, and follow me.
(g) Even as one day follows another, so does one cross follow another, and the cross is by the figure of speech metonymy taken for the miseries of this life: for to be hanged on the cross was the most grievous and cruel punishment that there was amongst the Jews.

And he said to them all,.... Not only to all the disciples, but "to the multitude", as the Arabic version renders it, who were now called unto him, with his disciples, as is clear from Mark 8:34,
any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me; the same is said here, as in Matthew 16:24; see Gill on Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, only here the word, "daily", is added; and which, though as Beza observes, is not in the Complutensian edition, nor in five ancient copies; yet is in others, and in the Vulgate Latin, and in all the Oriental versions; and to be retained, as having a very considerable emphasis in it; showing that afflictions, trials, and persecutions of one sort or another, are to be expected every day by the people of God, and to be continually submitted to, and borne with cheerfulness.

Let him deny himself, and take up his cross - The necessity of this duty has been shown in many places: the extent of it is specified here, daily - Therefore that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up.

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