Matthew 16 · Verse 24

Matthew 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Matthew 16:24, King James Version

Matthew 16:24 in other translations

BSBThen Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
WEBThen Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
ASVThen said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
YLTThen said Jesus to his disciples, ‘If any one doth will to come after me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross, and follow me,
DARBYThen Jesus said to his disciples, If any one desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
BBEThen Jesus said to his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him give up all, and take up his cross, and come after me.
WebsterThen said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

What does Matthew 16:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples--Mark (Mr 8:34) says, "When He had called the people unto Him, with His disciples also, He said unto them"--turning the rebuke of one into a warning to all. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 24-28. This discourse is also recorded in Mk 8:34-38, 9:1 and Lk 9:23-27

Let him deny himself. That is, let him surrender to God his will, affections, body, and soul. Let him not seek his own happiness as the supreme object, but be willing to renounce all, and lay down his life also, if required.

Take up his cross. Mt 10:38.

(x) "any man" Mt 10:38, Mk 8:34, Lk 9:23, 14:27, Acts 14:22, 1Thes 3:3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 Will come after me - i.e. to be my disciple. This discourse was intended to show Peter and the rest of the disciples the nature of his kingdom; and that the honor that cometh from the world was not to be expected by those who followed Christ. The principles of the Christian life are: First. To have a sincere desire to belong to Christ - If any man be Willing to be my disciple, etc. Secondly. To renounce self-dependence, and selfish pursuits - Let him deny Himself. Thirdly. To embrace the condition which God has appointed, and bear the troubles and difficulties he may meet with in walking the Christian road - Let him take up His Cross. Fourthly. To imitate Jesus, and do and suffer all in his spirit - Let him Follow Me. Let him deny himself - Απαρνησασθω may well be interpreted, Let him deny, or renounce, himself fully - in all respects - perseveringly. It is a compounded word, and the preposition απο abundantly increases the meaning. A follower of Christ will need to observe it in its utmost latitude of meaning, in order to be happy here, and glorious hereafter. A man's self is to him the prime cause of most of his miseries. See the note on Mar 8:34.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 16:24-28
A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall follow him to glory. He is one that walks in the same way Christ walked in, is led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoever he goes. "Let him deny himself." If self-denial be a hard lesson, it is no more than what our Master learned and practised, to redeem us, and to teach us. "Let him take up his cross." The cross is here put for every trouble that befalls us. We are apt to think we could bear another's cross better than our own; but that is best which is appointed us, and we ought to make the best of it. We must not by our rashness and folly pull crosses down upon our own heads, but must take them up when they are in our way. If any man will have the name and credit of a disciple, let him follow Christ in the work and duty of a disciple. If all worldly things are worthless when compared with the life of the body, how forcible the same argument with respect to the soul and its state of never-ending happiness or misery! Thousands lose their souls for the most trifling gain, or the most worthless indulgence, nay, often from mere sloth and negligence. Whatever is the object for which men forsake Christ, that is the price at which Satan buys their souls. Yet one soul is worth more than all the world. This is Christ's judgment upon the matter; he knew the price of souls, for he redeemed them; nor would he underrate the world, for he made it. The dying transgressor cannot purchase one hour's respite to seek mercy for his perishing soul. Let us then learn rightly to value our souls, and Christ as the only Saviour of them.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 16:24 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤότεToteThenG5119
ὁho<the>G3588
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
εἶπενeipensaidG2036
τοῖςtoisto theG3588
μαθηταῖςmathētaisdisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦ·autouof Him;G846
εἴeiIfG1487
τιςtisanyoneG5100
θέλειtheleidesiresG2309
ὀπίσωopisōafterG3694
μουmouMeG3165
ἐλθεῖν,eltheinto come,G2064
ἀπαρνησάσθωaparnēsasthōhe should denyG533
ἑαυτὸνhe'autonhimselfG1438
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀράτωaratōhe should take upG142
τὸνtontheG3588
σταυρὸνstauroncrossG4716
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀκολουθείτωakoloutheitōhe should followG190
μοι.moiMe.G3165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 16:24

  • Matthew 10:38

    And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

  • Luke 14:27

    And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

  • 1 Peter 4:1-2

    Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

  • Luke 9:23-27

    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. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels. …

  • Mark 10:21

    Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

  • Mark 8:34

    And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

  • 2 Timothy 3:12

    Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

  • Hebrews 11:24-26

    By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

  • Acts 14:22

    Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

  • Colossians 1:24

    Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

  • John 19:17

    And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

  • 1 Thessalonians 3:3

    That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
If.
10:38; Mr 8:34; 10:21; Lu 9:23-27; 14:27; Ac 14:22; Col 1:24
1Th 3:3; 2Ti 3:12; Heb 11:24-26
and take.
27:32; Mr 15:21; Lu 23:26; Joh 19:17; 1Pe 4:1,2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 16:23

    But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

  • Matthew 16:24

    Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

  • Matthew 16:25

    For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Read all of Matthew 16

Matthew 16:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Jesús dijo á sus discípulos: Si alguno quiere venir en pos de mí, niéguese á sí mismo, y tome su cruz, y sígame.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors Jésus dit à ses disciples: Si quelqu’un veut venir après moi, qu’il se renonce soi-même, et qu’il prenne sa croix, et me suive:
German
Elberfelder 1871		Dann sprach Jesus zu seinen Jüngern: Wenn jemand mir nachkommen will, der verleugne sich selbst und nehme sein Kreuz auf und folge mir nach.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc Jesus dixit discipulis suis: Si quis vult post me venire, abneget semetipsum, et tollat crucem suam, et sequatur me.