Jesus' call is simple: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). It is also costly: "whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27). And it shows: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).
A disciple is a learner and follower, someone who stays close to a teacher in order to become like him. In the King James Gospels and Acts, the words disciple and disciples appear more than 250 times, while Christian appears only three times in the whole New Testament. These twelve verses look at Jesus' call to follow Him, the cost of discipleship, and the marks of a true disciple. They suit a new year commitment, a small group or a mentoring friendship. For telling others about Jesus, see sharing the gospel; for priorities, see putting God first.
Follow me: the call
1. Matthew 4:19
"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Jesus called Peter and Andrew from their nets with a promise. Discipleship starts with following and trusting Jesus to do the making.
2. John 1:43
"The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me."
Jesus found Philip and said, Follow me. Philip then found Nathanael and said, Come and see (John 1:46). The call is personal and often passed along by a friend.
3. Luke 5:11
"And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him."
After the miraculous catch, Peter, James and John left the biggest haul of their careers on the beach. Following Jesus sometimes means walking away from success to gain something greater.
4. Mark 3:14
"And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,"
The twelve were called first to be with him, and then to be sent. Time in His presence, in prayer and Scripture, is the root of fruitful service.
Counting the cost and learning from Jesus
5. Luke 14:27
"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."
In the first century, carrying a cross meant walking to death. Discipleship means dying daily to self-rule. See our pages on the cross and surrender.
6. Luke 14:33
"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."
After His parables about counting the cost, Jesus says His disciple must forsake all. It does not always mean selling everything, but nothing else may own us.
7. Luke 6:40
"The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master."
A fully trained disciple becomes like his teacher. The goal of discipleship is not just information but likeness to Jesus.
8. Luke 10:39
"And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word."
Mary sat at Jesus' feet while Martha was busy serving, and Jesus said Mary had chosen the good part (Luke 10:42). Busy service cannot replace time listening to Jesus.
Marks of a true disciple
9. John 8:31
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;"
Real disciples keep returning to Jesus' teaching, and verse 32 adds the result: the truth shall make you free. A reading plan is a practical way to continue in His word.
10. John 13:35
"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Jesus named the badge of a disciple: not knowledge, gifts or busyness, but love, the kind He had just shown by washing their feet.
11. John 15:8
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
Fruit grows from abiding in Christ, the vine (John 15:5). Over time a disciple's life produces love, joy and good works that bring glory to God.
12. Acts 11:26
"And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."
Christian means one who belongs to Christ. The name was first given in Antioch to people whose lives clearly pointed to Jesus.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, You called me to follow You. Help me to be with You before I try to do things for You. Give me courage to count the cost and carry my cross, a heart that keeps returning to Your word, and a love for others that shows I belong to You. Make me more like You this year. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Start the free One-Year Bible Reading Plan · Download our free SOAP study page · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal
Frequently asked questions
What is a disciple in the Bible?
A disciple is a learner who follows a teacher in order to become like him. Jesus' disciples included the twelve apostles and many others, men and women (Luke 8:1-3). Every Christian is called to be a disciple, learning from Jesus and obeying Him. Jesus said, "learn of me" (Matthew 11:29).
What are the marks of a true disciple?
Jesus named several: continuing in His word (John 8:31), love for one another (John 13:35), bearing fruit (John 15:8) and taking up the cross daily (Luke 9:23). None of these are achieved alone; they grow as we stay close to Christ and His church.
What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?
A disciple is any follower and learner of Jesus. An apostle, from a Greek word meaning one who is sent, was chosen and sent with special authority, like the twelve and Paul. From His disciples Jesus "chose twelve, whom also he named apostles" (Luke 6:13).
How do I make disciples?
Jesus told His followers to "teach all nations, baptizing them" (Matthew 28:19). In practice, it often looks like reading the Bible with a friend, sharing your faith and passing on what you have learned, as Paul told Timothy (2 Timothy 2:2). See sharing the gospel and our Bible study guide.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about sharing the gospel · Bible verses about putting God first · Bible verses about the cross · Bible verses about growth · Bible verses about walking with God · Bible verses about surrender · Bible verses about persecution
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
