Sayings of Christ from the Gospels
Who is Jesus Christ? Our Lord gives us the answer in his own words.
Before Abraham was, I AM
St John, 8:58
I and the Father are one.
St John 10:29
I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE;
no one comes to the Father, but by me.
St John 14:6
I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD; he who follows me will
not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
St John 8:12
I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; he who believes
in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
St John, 11:25-6
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep.
St John, 10:14-15
I AM THE DOOR of the sheep: if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
St John, 10:9
I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE: he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.
St John, 6:35
I AM THE LIVING BREAD which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.
St John, 6:51
I AM THE VINE you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. St John, 15:5
OUR LORD EXPLAINS TO US WHY HE HAS
COME INTO THE WORLD
The Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. St Matthew 20:28
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. St John, 3:16-17
I have come down from heaven not do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing
of all that he has given me. St John, 6:38
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. St John, 10:10
I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. St John, 12:46
Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to himself.
St John, 12:31-2
I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.
St John, 18:37
OUR LORD TEACHES US: HE INVITES US TO
FOLLOW HIM,
If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
St Luke, 9:23, 25
There is no one who has left house or brothers or sister or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and the gospel who will not receive a hundred-fold now in this time and in the age to come eternal life.
St Mark, 10:29-3
If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
St John, 8:31-2, 36
Unless a grain of wheat falls in the earth and dies it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life, loses it, and he who hates his life, in this world will keep it for eternal life.
St John, 12:24-5
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. A servant is not greater than its master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute me; if they kept my world, they will keep yours also.
St John, 15:18-20
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
St John 14:15, 21
If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and he will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the world which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
St John, 14:23-4
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
St John, 15:10
OUR LORD COMMANDS US TO LOVE ONE
ANOTHER
A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. St John, 13:34-35
This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man this, that a man lay down is life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
St John, 15:12-14
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. You must be perfect as your heavenly
Father is perfect. St Matthew, 5:44-5, 48
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. St Matthew 7:1-2
OUR LORD TEACHES US ABOUT FAITH
If you have faith and never doubt, even if you say to this mountain. ?Be taken up and cast into the sea,? it will be done. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. St Matthew, 21:21-2
All things are possible to him who believes. St Mark, 9:23
This is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day. St John, 6:40
The light is with you for a little longer. When you have the light believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. St John 12:35-6
Let not your hearts be troubled; believe also in me. St John, 14:1
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me. He who believes in me will also do the works that I do and greater works than these he will do, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, he will do it. St John 14:11-3
OUR LORD TEACHES US ABOUT REPENTANCE
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. St Mark, 1:15
There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. St Luke, 15:7
Unless you repent you will all likewise perish. St Luke, 13:3
Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little. St Luke, 7:47
OUR LORD TELLS US SOME OF THE THINGS HE
EXPECTS OF HIS FOLLOWERS
You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. St Matthew, 5:14-6
Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. St Matthew, 6:25-33
Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. St Matthew, 7:13-4
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where mouth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. St Matthew, 6:19-21
Every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. St Matthew, 10:32-3
Unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself likes his child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. St Matthew, 18:3-4
Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you: he eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. St John, 6:53-6
OUR LORD SPEAKS AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. St Matthew, 7:7-8
Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon me, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. St Matthew, 11:28-30
If anyone keeps my word and he will never see death. St John, 8:51
In my Father's house there are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, and where I am you may be also. St John, 14:2-3
I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him: you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. St John 14:16-17
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. St John 14:27
I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you. St John 15:15-6
When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth; he will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. St John, 16:13-4
You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. St John, 16:22-23
OUR LORD ESTABLISHES HIS CHURCH AND
EMPOWERS HER TO ACT IN HIS NAME
You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed on heaven. St Matthew, 16:18-9
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. St Matthew, 28:18-20
Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. St Mark, 16:15
He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me. St Luke, 10:16
Who is Jesus Christ? Our Lord gives us the answer in his own words.
Before Abraham was, I AM
St John, 8:58
I and the Father are one.
St John 10:29
I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE;
no one comes to the Father, but by me.
St John 14:6
I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD; he who follows me will
not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
St John 8:12
I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; he who believes
in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
St John, 11:25-6
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep.
St John, 10:14-15
I AM THE DOOR of the sheep: if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
St John, 10:9
I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE: he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.
St John, 6:35
I AM THE LIVING BREAD which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.
St John, 6:51
I AM THE VINE you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. St John, 15:5
COME INTO THE WORLD
The Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. St Matthew 20:28
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. St John, 3:16-17
I have come down from heaven not do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing
of all that he has given me. St John, 6:38
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. St John, 10:10
I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. St John, 12:46
Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to himself.
St John, 12:31-2
I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.
St John, 18:37
FOLLOW HIM,
If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
St Luke, 9:23, 25
There is no one who has left house or brothers or sister or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and the gospel who will not receive a hundred-fold now in this time and in the age to come eternal life.
St Mark, 10:29-3
If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
St John, 8:31-2, 36
Unless a grain of wheat falls in the earth and dies it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life, loses it, and he who hates his life, in this world will keep it for eternal life.
St John, 12:24-5
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. A servant is not greater than its master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute me; if they kept my world, they will keep yours also.
St John, 15:18-20
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
St John 14:15, 21
If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and he will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the world which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
St John, 14:23-4
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
St John, 15:10
OUR LORD COMMANDS US TO LOVE ONE
ANOTHER
A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. St John, 13:34-35
This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man this, that a man lay down is life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
St John, 15:12-14
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. You must be perfect as your heavenly
Father is perfect. St Matthew, 5:44-5, 48
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. St Matthew 7:1-2
OUR LORD TEACHES US ABOUT FAITH
If you have faith and never doubt, even if you say to this mountain. ?Be taken up and cast into the sea,? it will be done. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. St Matthew, 21:21-2
All things are possible to him who believes. St Mark, 9:23
This is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day. St John, 6:40
The light is with you for a little longer. When you have the light believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. St John 12:35-6
Let not your hearts be troubled; believe also in me. St John, 14:1
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me. He who believes in me will also do the works that I do and greater works than these he will do, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, he will do it. St John 14:11-3
OUR LORD TEACHES US ABOUT REPENTANCE
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. St Mark, 1:15
There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. St Luke, 15:7
Unless you repent you will all likewise perish. St Luke, 13:3
Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little. St Luke, 7:47
EXPECTS OF HIS FOLLOWERS
You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. St Matthew, 5:14-6
Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. St Matthew, 6:25-33
Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. St Matthew, 7:13-4
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where mouth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. St Matthew, 6:19-21
Every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. St Matthew, 10:32-3
Unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself likes his child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. St Matthew, 18:3-4
Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you: he eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. St John, 6:53-6
OUR LORD SPEAKS AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. St Matthew, 7:7-8
Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon me, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. St Matthew, 11:28-30
If anyone keeps my word and he will never see death. St John, 8:51
In my Father's house there are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, and where I am you may be also. St John, 14:2-3
I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him: you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. St John 14:16-17
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. St John 14:27
I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you. St John 15:15-6
When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth; he will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. St John, 16:13-4
You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. St John, 16:22-23
OUR LORD ESTABLISHES HIS CHURCH AND
EMPOWERS HER TO ACT IN HIS NAME
You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed on heaven. St Matthew, 16:18-9
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. St Matthew, 28:18-20
Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. St Mark, 16:15
He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me. St Luke, 10:16
© Society of Saint Peter Canisius 1998