Matthew 16:25

Matthew 16:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
• New International Version (NIV)For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Context of Matthew 16:25

23But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on things of God, but on things of man.” 24Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory and majesty of His Father with His angels, and then He will repay each one in accordance with what he has done.

Matthew 16:25 word by word

ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι, ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, εὑρήσει αὐτήν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• whosoeverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lifeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• lifeψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
• shall loseἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
• andδέde · thenG1161
• forἕνεκαheneka heneken heineken · because ofG1752
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• shall findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147

Cross-references for Matthew 16:25

• Matthew 10:39Whoever finds his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], and whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity].
• Esther 4:14For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]?”
• Mark 8:35For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake and the gospel’s will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God].
• Luke 17:33Whoever seeks to save his life will [eventually] lose it [through death], and whoever loses his life [in this world] will keep it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God].
• John 12:25The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal.
• Acts 20:23except that the Holy Spirit solemnly [and emphatically] affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me.
• Revelation 12:11And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death.

Commentaries on Matthew 16:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25For whosoever will save his life - That is, shall wish to save his life - at the expense of his conscience, and casting aside the cross, he shall lose it - the very evil he wishes to avoid shall overtake him; and he shall lose his soul into the bargain. See then how necessary it is to renounce one's self! But whatsoever a man loses in this world, for his steady attachment to Christ and his cause, he shall have amply made up to him in the eternal world.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24-28Verses 24-28 This discourse is also recorded in Mark 8:34-38; Mark 9:1; and Luke 9:23-27. Let him, deny himself - That is, let him surrender to God his will, his affections, his body, and his soul. Let him not seek his own happiness as the supreme object, but be willing to renounce all, and lay down his life also, if required. Take up his cross - See the notes at Matthew 10:38. Matthew 16:25 Whosoever will save his life … - See the notes at Matthew 10:39…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-28Verses 24-28 A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall follow him to glory. He is one that walks in the same way Christ walked in, is led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoever he goes. "Let him deny himself." If self-denial be a hard lesson, it is no more than what our Master learned and practised, to redeem us, and to teach us. "Let him take up his cross." The cross is here put for every trouble that befalls…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25The disciples of Jesus need to give up control of their own lives, even being willing to suffer or die for him. Jesus promised that those who follow him in this way may suffer now, but at the final judgment God will show them to be right, clear away every false charge, and welcome them into his kingdom with honor (see 1 Peter 2:23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. For whosoever will save--is minded to save, or bent on saving. his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it--(See on Mt 10:38,39). "A suffering and dying Messiah liketh you ill; but what if His servants shall meet the same fate? They may not; but who follows Me must be prepared for the worst."Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 16:25

• Jesus, the Christ
• Life
• Martyrdom
• Paradox
• Reward
• Self-Denial
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Bind
• Blood
• Gain
• Gate
• Hell
• Leaven
• Loose
• Profited
• Reason

Commentaries on Matthew 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings