Mark 8:34

34 Then Jesus called the crowd to him, along with his followers. He said, "If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me.

Mark 8:34 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 8:34

And when he had called the people unto him
Who, it seems, followed him out of Galilee, from Bethsaida, and these parts; for it was in the way from thence to Caesarea Philippi, that Christ had this conversation with his disciples; who walked together alone, the multitude following at some distance; and the private conversation being ended, Christ called, or beckoned to the people, to come nearer to him:

with his disciples also;
for what he was about to say, concerned them both:

whosoever will come after me;
in a spiritual sense, as this multitude did in a natural one, and which is the same as to be a disciple of his:

let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me;
signifying, that his followers must deny themselves of worldly advantages, and suffer many things, as well as he, which he had been but just before acquainting his disciples with; (See Gill on Matthew 16:24).

Mark 8:34 In-Context

32 Jesus told them plainly what would happen. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to tell him not to talk like that.

33 But Jesus turned and looked at his followers. Then he told Peter not to talk that way. He said, "Go away from me, Satan! You don't care about the things of God, but only about things people think are important."

34 Then Jesus called the crowd to him, along with his followers. He said, "If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me.

35 Those who want to save their lives will give up true life. But those who give up their lives for me and for the Good News will have true life.

36 It is worth nothing for them to have the whole world if they lose their souls.