In the Great Commission, Jesus defines discipleship as "teaching them to observe everything I've commanded you." He also said, "If you love me, keep my commands." I'd say that means the stakes are pretty high!
But what commands did Jesus give? Do most church attenders even know?
I'm a 20 year pastor, and the creator of The Obedience Challenge (which helps new Christians learn how to obey Jesus' commands), so here's what you need to know:
Creating a comprehensive list of Jesus' commands from the Gospels can vary depending on interpretation, but here's a list of 48 commands of Jesus that reflect the key commands and teachings he gave us while on the Earth.
List of Jesus Commands in PDF: Free download
If you want to download all 48 commands of Jesus for free, you can do that in Google Docs here, or as a PDF at these links.
Each reference is linked to BibleGateway in 3 versions for easy access.
What Did Jesus Command?
1. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand - Matthew 4:17
"From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (You can read Matthew 4:17 here in ESV, NIV, KJV)
2. Follow Me - Matthew 4:19
"And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'"
3. Rejoice when you are persecuted - Matthew 5:12
"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
4. Let Your Light Shine - Matthew 5:16
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
5. Honor God’s Law - Matthew 5:17-19
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
6. Be Reconciled - Matthew 5:24-25
"Leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison."
7. Do Not Lust - Matthew 5:28-30
"But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell." (Matthew 5:28-30 in ESV, NIV, KJV)
8. Keep Your Word - Matthew 5:37
"Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil."
9. Go the Second Mile - Matthew 5:38-42
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you."
10. Love Your Enemies - Matthew 5:44
"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..."
11. Be Perfect - Matthew 5:48
"You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
12. Practice Secret Disciplines (Giving, Praying, Fasting) - Matthew 6:1-18
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward..." (These verses are representative of the longer passage.)
13. Lay Up Treasures in Heaven - Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
14. Seek God’s Kingdom - Matthew 6:33
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
15. Judge Not - Matthew 7:1-2
"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."
16. Do Not Throw Pearls to Pigs - Matthew 7:6
"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."
17. Ask, Seek, Knock - Matthew 7:7-8
"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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."
18. Do Unto Others - Matthew 7:12
"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
19. Choose the Narrow Way - Matthew 7:13-14
"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."
20. Beware of False Prophets - Matthew 7:15
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
21. Pray for Laborers - Matthew 9:38
"Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
22. Be Wise as Serpents - Matthew 10:16
"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."
23. Fear Not - Matthew 10:28
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
24. Hear God’s Voice - Matthew 11:15
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
25. Take My Yoke - Matthew 11:29
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
26. Honor Your Parents - Matthew 15:4
"For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'"
27. Beware of the Leaven (doctrine) of the Pharisees - Matthew 16:6
"Jesus said to them, 'Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'"
28. Deny Yourself - Matthew 16:24
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"
29. Do Not Despise Little Ones - Matthew 18:10
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."
30. Go to Offenders - Matthew 18:15
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."
31. Beware of Covetousness - Luke 12:15
"And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'"
32. Forgive Offenders - Matthew 18:21-22
"Then Peter came up and said to him, 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'"
33. Honor Marriage - Matthew 19:6
"So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."
34. Be a Servant - Matthew 20:26-27
"It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,"
35. Be a House of Prayer - Matthew 21:13
"He said to them, 'It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.'"
36. Ask in Faith - Matthew 21:21-22
"And Jesus answered them, 'Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.'"
37. Bring in the Poor - Luke 14:12-14
"He said also to the man who had invited him, 'When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.'"
38. Render to Caesar - Matthew 22:19-21
"Show me the coin for the tax.' And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, 'Whose likeness and inscription is this?' They said, 'Caesar's.' Then he said to them, 'Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'"
39. Love the Lord - Matthew 22:37
"And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'"
40. Love Your Neighbor - Matthew 22:39
"And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
41. Await My Return - Matthew 24:42-44
"Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
42. Celebrate the Lord’s Supper - Matthew 26:26-27
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you...'"
43. Watch and Pray - Matthew 26:41
"Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
44. Feed My Sheep - John 21:15-16
"When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' He said to him a second time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Tend my sheep.'"
45. Baptize My Disciples - Matthew 28:19
"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,"
46. Teach Them to Obey My Commands - Matthew 28:20
"Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
47. Receive God’s Power - Luke 24:49
"And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
48. Make Disciples - Matthew 28:19-20
"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 behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
How to teach people to obey Jesus' Commands
If you're convinced that discipleship means teaching people to obey the commands of Jesus, then the immediate next question is: But how can I do that?
How to Help New Disciples Obey: The Obedience Challenge
This 90-day Bible study for new believers can be licensed by any size church to print and share. To get a printing license to print the Obedience Challenge for your new believers, CLICK HERE.
It’s part of a comprehensive discipleship curriculum created by NewStart Discipleship that churches around the world are adopting to stop “winging it” on discipleship, and start being intentional instead!
It's all part of a full discipleship pathway. To get step 1 for free, you can put your email here, and I'll send it over instantly:
To view the full scope of this discipleship system, click the graphic below.
