MAT 27:57. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

JOH 19:38. And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

JOH 19:39. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

JOH 19:40. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

ACT 9:36. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

ACT 9:39. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

B. Some kept their prominent positions in society:

MAR 15:43. Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

LUK 23:50. And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

LUK 23:51. (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

ROM 16:23. Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

C. But all disciples were expected to give sacrificially:

ACT 11:29. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:

2COR 8:14. But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

2COR 8:15. As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

1TIMM 6:17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

1TIMM 6:18. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

D. Don't despise those who aren't full-timers:

MAR 10:21. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

LUK 9:49. And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

LUK 9:50. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

E. Some are too spiritually weak to be full-time disciples:

LUK 8:38. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

LUK 8:39. Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

MAR 5:18. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

MAR 5:19. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

MAR 5:20. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

JOH 6:53. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

JOH 6:54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

JOH 6:55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

JOH 6:56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

JOH 6:57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

JOH 6:58. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

JOH 6:59. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

JOH 6:60. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

JOH 6:61. When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

JOH 6:66. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

MAT 22:14. For many are called, but few are chosen.

JER 12:5. If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

MAT 13:47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

MAT 13:48. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

F. Concentric circles of discipleship: The 3 innermost disciples

MAR 9:2. And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

MAR 14:32. And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

MAR 14:33. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

the 12 apostles

MAR 3:13. And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

MAR 3:14. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

MAR 3:15. And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

MAR 3:16. And Simon he surnamed Peter;

MAR 3:17. And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

MAR 3:18. And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

MAR 3:19. And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

the other 70"

LUK 10:1. After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

the multitude of the disciples"

LUK 19:37. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

G. Part-time & live-out disciples:

LUK 8:3. And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

LUK 9:49. And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

LUK 9:50. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

MAR 9:38. And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

MAR 9:39. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

MAR 9:40. For he that is not against us is on our part.

JOH 19:38. And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

JOH 19:39. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

JOH 19:40. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

LUK 23:50. And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

LUK 23:51. (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

H. Outside friends & followers:

1KI 18:3. And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

1KI 18:13. Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

LUK 10:38. Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

LUK 10:39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

ACT 19:31. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

ACT 10:24. And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

ACT 10:44. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

ACT 10:45. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

ACT 10:46. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

ACT 10:47. Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

ACT 10:48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

1KI 17:8. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

1KI 17:9. Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

1KI 17:10. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

1KI 17:11. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

1KI 17:12. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

1KI 17:13. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

1KI 17:14. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

1KI 17:15. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

1KI 17:16. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

2KI 4:8. And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

2KI 4:9. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

2KI 4:10. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.