Mat 5:10-12, 10:37-39, 16:24-26, Mar 4:17, 8:34-36, 13:12-13 | ESV | STEP | Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness ’ sake , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven .

10 ^a“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for ^btheirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 ^c“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely ^don my account. 12 ^eRejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for ^fso they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 10:37-39

37 ^gWhoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And ^hwhoever does not take his cross and ⁱfollow me is not worthy of me. 39 ^jWhoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 16:24-26

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him ^kdeny himself and ^ltake up his cross and follow me. 25 For ^mwhoever would save his life ^{▼▼The same Greek word can mean either soul or life, depending on the context; twice in this verse and twice in verse 26} will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For ^owhat will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or ^pwhat shall a man give in return for his soul?

Mark 4:17

17 And they have no root in themselves, but ^qendure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately ^rthey fall away. ^{▼▼Or stumble}

Mark 8:34-36

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him ^tdeny himself and ^utake up his cross and follow me. 35 For ^vwhoever would save his life ^{▼▼The same Greek word can mean either soul or life, depending on the context; twice in this verse and once in verse 36 and once in verse 37} will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake ^xand the gospel’s will save it. 36 ^yFor what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

Mark 13:12-13

12 ^zAnd brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 ^aaAnd you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. ^abBut the one who endures to the end will be saved.