John 12:25

John 12:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
• New International Version (NIV)Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.

Context of John 12:25

23But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24Most 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. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. 27“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

John 12:25 word by word

ὁ φιλῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπολλύει αὐτήν, καὶ ὁ μισῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον φυλάξει αὐτήν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that lovethφιλέωphileō · to loveG5368
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lifeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• lifeψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
• shall loseἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he that hatethμισέωmiseō · to hateG3404
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• shall keepφυλάσσωphulassō · to keep/guard: protectG5442
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
• eternalαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166

Cross-references for John 12:25

• Matthew 10:39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
• Matthew 16:25For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
• Matthew 19:29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
• Mark 8:35For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
• Luke 9:23Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
• Luke 17:33Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
• Acts 20:24But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
• Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
• Hebrews 11:35Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
• Revelation 12:11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
• Genesis 29:30Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
• Ecclesiastes 2:17Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
• Luke 14:26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

Commentaries on John 12:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25He that loveth his life - See on Matthew 10:39; (note); Luke 14:26; (note). I am about to give up my life for the salvation of men; but I shall speedily receive it back with everlasting honor, by my resurrection from the dead. In this I should be imitated by my disciples, who should, when called to it, lay down their lives for the truth; and, if they do, they shall receive them again with everlasting honor.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25He that loveth his life … - This was a favorite principle, a sort of “axiom” with the Lord Jesus, which he applied to himself as well as to his followers. See the Matthew 10:39 note; Luke 9:24 note.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. 25For disciples (followers of Jesus), sacrifice and self-effacement (choosing not to put oneself first) are part of this path. They do not lose life by following Jesus. Instead, they gain the fullness of life that comes through his sacrifice. Those who renounce (turn away from) the world’s priorities will be with Jesus forever. God will honor those who serve his Son. In this way, the path of humble obedience leads to eternal life and honor.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 12:25

• Jesus Continued
• Life
• Martyrdom
• Paradox
• Righteous
• Self-Denial
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Andrew
• Christ, Offices of
• Jesus Christ
• Johannine Theology
• John, Gospel of
• King, Christ As
• Philip (2)

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