5 ways of looking at it

Here's an often quoted passage, in 4 different translations & a paraphrase.

In a time when people give up their lives in a crazy pursuit of "stuff" or in a vain obsession for position &/or power, these 3 verses quoting Jesus' perspective on that kind of thing is so succinct & appropriate.



Luke 9

23 Then he said to the crowd, 

“If any of you wants to be my follower, 

you must give up your own way, 

take up your cross daily, 

and follow me. 

24 If you try to hang on to your life, 

you will lose it. 

But if you give up your life for my sake, 

you will save it. 

25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? 

(New Living Translation)



23-25 Then he spoke to them all. 

“If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, 

he must give up all right to himself, 

carry his cross every day 

and keep close behind me. 

For the man who wants to save his life will lose it, 

but the man who loses his life for my sake will save it. 

For what is the use of a man gaining the whole world if he loses or forfeits his own soul? 

(J B Phillips)



23 Jesus said to all of his followers, 

“If you truly desire to be my disciple, 

you must disown your life completely, 

embrace my ‘cross’ as your own, 

and surrender to my ways. 

24 For if you choose self-sacrifice, giving up your lives for my glory, 

you will embark on a discovery of more and more of true life. 

But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, 

you will lose what you try to keep. 

25 Even if you gained all the wealth and power of this world, 

everything it could offer you, 

yet lost your soul in the process, 

what good is that? 

(The Passion Translation)



23-25 Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: 

“Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. 

You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. 

Don’t run from suffering; 

embrace it. 

Follow me and I’ll show you how. 

Self-help is no help at all. 

Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. 

What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? 

(The Message)



23 If any of you want to walk My path, 

you’re going to have to deny yourself. 

You’ll have to take up your cross every day 

and follow Me. 

24 If you try to avoid danger and risk, 

then you’ll lose everything. 

If you let go of your life and risk all for My sake, 

then your life will be rescued, healed, made whole and full. 

25 Listen, what good does it do you if you gain everything...

if the whole world is in your pocket...

but then your own life slips through your fingers and is lost to you? 

(The Voice)