Exodus 39:21

He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.

Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple.

Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?

Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,

therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden.”

The humble also will increase their joy in Yahweh, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”

At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.

and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?’ ”

He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull”, which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha”,

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly,

If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’

Your rigging is untied. They couldn’t strengthen the foot of their mast. They couldn’t spread the sail. Then the prey of a great plunder was divided. The lame took the prey.

But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in Yahweh’s name.

As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him.

for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.

But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”

“This Moses, whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.”

For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you.

For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.

instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age;

He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

When Pharaoh had let the people go, God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt”;

Of the blue, purple, and scarlet, they made finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

The skillfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work: of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, around the skirts of the robe, to minister in, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

the sash of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

“ ‘It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’ ”

Moses did as Yahweh commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

He set the turban on his head. He set the golden plate, the holy crown, on the front of the turban, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with tunics, and tied sashes on them, and put headbands on them, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

But the bull, and its skin, and its meat, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before Yahweh. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of consecration, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

You shall stay at the door of the Tent of Meeting day and night seven days, and keep Yahweh’s command, that you don’t die: for so I am commanded.”

Whatever thing I command you, that you shall observe to do. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it.

Joshua made himself flint knives, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

“Come up to me and help me. Let’s strike Gibeon; for they have made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

Then Jael Heber’s wife took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, for he was in a deep sleep; so he fainted and died.

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken to him. Because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, he could not do it by day, but he did it by night.

When Gideon had come, behold, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow. He said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream; and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.”

He said to them, “Watch me, and do likewise. Behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so you shall do.

They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.

So he went and did according to Yahweh’s word; for he went and lived by the brook Cherith that is before the Jordan.

But he said, “Then bring meal.” He threw it into the pot; and he said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean?’ ”

He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”

Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.

Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

at that time Yahweh spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loosen the sackcloth from off your waist, and take your sandals from off your feet.” He did so, walking naked and barefoot.

Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book Yahweh’s words in Yahweh’s house.

Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs;

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.

teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

After these things he went out, and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, “Follow me!”

He said to another, “Follow me!” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”

When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus.

Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.

and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.

For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.

This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.

that no one would be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.