The KJV obscures something here, by translating both διδάσκω and μαθητεύω as “teach”. Jesus is speaking to the “eleven **disciples**” (ἕνδεκα **μαθηταὶ**), and commands them to “**disciple**” or “**make disciples of** all the nations” (**μαθητεύσατε** πάντα τὰ ἔθνη).

Two parts of this process are identified: “baptising them” (βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς) and “**teaching** them” (**διδάσκοντες** αὐτοὺς). Note that “to disciple” and “to teach” are distinguished from each other, both by the choice of words and by the sentence structure.

When people who have just been identified as *disciples* are told that their job is to *make more disciples*—and not just a few of them, but *of all nations*—it is reasonable to conclude that this is intended to also be part of the role of these new-made disciples.

The case for this is strengthened even more by what it is that Jesus tells them to teach these new disciples: “to obey all things, whatever I commanded you” (τηρεῖν πάντα, ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν). One can imagine a question coming from one of the eleven: “*Everything* you commanded us? Including this command you’re giving us right now?”