John 12:24

John 12:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
• New International Version (NIV)Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

Context of John 12:24

22Philip went and he told Andrew this. Then Philip and Andrew went to Jesus and they told him. 23Jesus said to them, ‘God will show how great the Son of Man is. It is now time for that to happen. I tell you this: A seed of wheat continues to be only a single seed unless it falls into the ground. It must fall into the ground and then it must die. If it dies like that, it will grow to give a lot of seeds. 25Anyone who loves his own life will lose it. But anyone who hates his life in this world will have true life for ever with God. 26Anyone who wants to be my servant must follow me. Then he will be with me, where I am. My Father will praise anyone who is my servant.

John 12:24 word by word

ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς μόνος μένει· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, πολὺν καρπὸν φέρει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• Exceptἐάνean · ifG1437
• a cornὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• a cornκόκκοςkokkos · seedG2848
• of wheatσῖτοςsitos · grainG4621
• fallπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the groundγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• dieἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• abidethμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• aloneμόνοςmonos · aloneG3441
• butδέde · thenG1161
• it bringeth forthφέρωpherō̄ · to bear/leadG5342
• muchπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• fruitκαρπόςkarpos · fruitG2590
• ·μήmē · notG3361

Cross-references for John 12:24

• Psalms 72:16May there always be plenty of grain that grows in the land. May the crops grow well on the tops of the mountains. May the fruit trees give a lot of fruit, as they do in Lebanon. May all the crops grow well, like grass that grows in a field.
• 1 Corinthians 15:36Do not think like a fool! When you plant a seed in the ground, it has to die first. Then it can become alive again and grow into a new plant.
• John 12:32But when people lift me up from the ground, then I will bring everyone to myself.’
• Psalms 22:15My mouth has become dry like a piece of a broken pot. My tongue sticks to my mouth. You have left me down in the dirt, as good as dead!
• Isaiah 53:10But it was the Lord who chose to hurt his servant. He caused his servant to receive much pain. His servant died to remove people's guilt. As a result, God will bless him with many descendants, and he will have a long life. What the Lord wants will happen, because of what his servant does.
• Hebrews 2:9But we do see Jesus! God made him less important than the angels for a short time. And now God has made him the great and powerful king. God did this because Jesus died as a sacrifice on behalf of all people. His death showed that God is very kind.
• Revelation 7:9After this, I looked again. I saw a very big crowd of people. There were so many people that nobody could count them. They came from every nation, from every tribe and from every language. They were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing long white clothes and they held branches of palm trees in their hands.

Commentaries on John 12:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die - Our Lord compares himself to a grain of wheat; his death, to a grain sown and decomposed in the ground; his resurrection, to the blade which springs up from the dead grain; which grain, thus dying, brings forth an abundance of fruit. I must die to be glorified; and, unless I am glorified, I can not establish a glorious Church of Jews and Gentiles upon earth. In comparing himself thus to a grain of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Verily, verily - An expression denoting the great importance of what he was about to say. We cannot but admire the wisdom by which he introduces the subject of his death. They had seen his triumph. They supposed that he was about to establish his kingdom. He told them that the time had come in which he was to be glorified, but not in the manner in which they expected. It was to be by his death. But as they would not at once see how this could be, as it…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-26Verses 20-26 In attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24The central event of the glorification of Jesus was the cross (12:23). Like a kernel of wheat planted in the soil, the death of Jesus would bring abundant life.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2623-26. Jesus answered them, The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified--that is, They would see Jesus, would they? Yet a little moment, and they shall see Him so as now they dream not of. The middle wall of partition that keeps them out from the commonwealth of Israel is on the eve of breaking down, "and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, shall draw all men unto Me"; I see them "flying as a cloud, and as doves to their cotes"--a glorious…Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:24

• Corn
• Jesus, the Christ
• Wheat

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Consult
• Corn
• Costly
• Grain
• Prince
• Andrew
• Christ, Offices of
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of

Commentaries on John 12

• 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