34Calling the crowd to him along with his disciples, he said to them: If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [8:35] For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. [8:36] For what does it profit a person to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? [8:37] For what could a person give in exchange for his life? [8:38] For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this faithless and adulterous generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
MRK 8:34-38
Take Up Your Cross
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Roman world, crucifixion was a brutal and shameful form of execution reserved for slaves, rebels, and the lowest classes. To 'take up the cross' would evoke images of condemned criminals carrying their own execution tool through public streets, a spectacle of humiliation and death. For Jesus’ audience, this metaphor would have been jarring, as it inverted societal values of honor, self-preservation, and ambition. The Greco-Roman world prized personal gain, status, and the pursuit of a good life , often achieved through wealth, power, or philosophical detachment. Jesus’ call to deny oneself and lose one’s life for His sake and the gospel’s sake directly challenged these cultural norms. The term here encompasses not just physical life but the core of one’s identity and purpose. In a society where shame and honor were paramount, Jesus’ warning against being ashamed of Him before a 'faithless and adulterous generation' would have resonated deeply, invoking Old Testament imagery of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God.
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How other translations render this
MRK 8:34
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
- Koinōnos
- Calling the crowd to him along with his disciples, he said to them: If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
MRK 8:35
- KJV
- For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
- BSB
- For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
- Koinōnos
- For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.
MRK 8:36
- KJV
- For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
- BSB
- What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
- Koinōnos
- For what does it profit a person to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
MRK 8:37
- KJV
- Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
- BSB
- Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
- Koinōnos
- For what could a person give in exchange for his life?
MRK 8:38
- KJV
- Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
- BSB
- If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Fatherʼs glory with the holy angels.”
- Koinōnos
- For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this faithless and adulterous generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MRK 8:34
- cross:The word translated 'cross' here referred to an upright stake or pole, often used for public execution. It evoked a brutal and humiliating death, not merely a burden or difficulty.
MRK 8:35
- life:The term translated 'life' here refers to one's physical existence or earthly life, distinct from a spiritual or eternal life. It emphasizes the present, temporal aspect of being.
MRK 8:38
- generation:The word translated 'generation' here refers not just to a period of time, but to the people living within that period, often with a shared character or moral quality.
- adulterous:The word translated 'adulterous' carried a strong sense of unfaithfulness, not only in a marital context but also in a spiritual sense, implying disloyalty to God.