New King James Version
John 12:26
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.
John 12:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Context of John 12:26
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. 25He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If 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. 28Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
Read all of John 12John 12:26 word by word
Ἐὰν ἐμοί τις διακονῇ, ἐμοὶ ἀκολουθείτω· καὶ ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγώ, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ διάκονος ὁ ἐμὸς ἔσται. ἐάν τις ἐμοὶ διακονῇ, τιμήσει αὐτὸν ὁ πατήρ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- any manτιςtis · oneG5100
- serveδιακονέωdiakoneō · to serveG1247
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- let him followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- whereὅπουhopou · where(-ever)G3699
- amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thereἐκεῖekei · thereG1563
- myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
- servantὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- servantδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- willτιμάωtimaō · to honorG5091
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
Cross-references for John 12:26
- John 13:16Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
- John 14:15“If you love Me, keep My commandments.
- John 15:20Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
- Luke 6:46“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
- Romans 1:1Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
- Romans 14:18For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
- 2 Corinthians 4:5For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
- Galatians 1:10For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
- Colossians 3:24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
- Colossians 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
- 2 Peter 1:1Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
- 1 John 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
- Jude 1:1Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
- John 10:27My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
- John 21:22Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
- Numbers 14:24But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.
Commentaries on John 12:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26If any man serve me - Christ is a master in a twofold sense: To instruct men. To employ and appoint them their work. He who wishes to serve Christ must become: His disciple or scholar, that he may be taught: His servant, that he may be employed by and obey his master. To such a person a twofold promise is given: He shall be with Christ, in eternal fellowship with him; and He shall be honored by the Lord: he shall have an abundant recompense in glory; but…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Serve me - Will be my disciple, or will be a Christian. Perhaps this was said to inform the Greeks John 12:20 of the nature of his religion. Let him follow me - Let him imitate me; do what I do, bear what I bear, and love what I love. He is discoursing here particularly of his own sufferings and death, and this passage has reference, therefore, to calamity and persecution. “You see me triumph - you see (me enter Jerusalem, and you supposed that my kingdom…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. 1-50In this part of John’s Gospel, two stories move forward at the same time. First, more and more people begin to praise Jesus. Their excitement reaches a high point when crowds welcome him into Jerusalem with shouts of joy (12:12–13). Second, the religious authorities become more determined to arrest Jesus and put him to death. As public support grows, their opposition grows as well. John's Gospel describes three events that happened only days before…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 12:26
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries