Topical Bible

What Does the Bible Say About Self Denial?

Here are 15 Bible verses about self denial, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.

  1. #1Luke 9:23-24

    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.

    BSBThen Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

  2. #2Titus 2:11-12

    For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

    BSBFor the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone. It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

  3. #3Galatians 2:20

    I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

    BSBI have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

  4. #4Luke 9:23

    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.

    BSBThen Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

  5. #5Matthew 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.

    BSBThen Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

  6. #62 Timothy 3:1-5

    This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

    BSBBut understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!

  7. #7Romans 8:7-8

    Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

    BSBbecause the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.

  8. #8Galatians 5:22-23

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

    BSBBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

  9. #9Luke 14:26

    If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

    BSB“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.

  10. #101 Corinthians 3:16

    Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

    BSBDo you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

  11. #11Luke 4:1-13

    And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. …

    BSBThen Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry. The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” Then the devil led Him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. “I will give You authority over all these kingdoms and all their glory,” he said. “For it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. …

  12. #12Galatians 5:24

    And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

    BSBThose who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

  13. #13Jeremiah 29:11-14

    For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

    BSBFor I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

  14. #14Matthew 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.

    BSBThen Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

  15. #15Matthew 7:14

    Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

    BSBBut small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).

Self Denial in Torrey's Topical Textbook

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