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 King James Version (NKJV)He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Context of John 12:25

23Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 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. 26Anyone 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. 27“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!

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 10:39If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
• Matthew 16:25If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
• Matthew 19:29And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
• Mark 8:35If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
• Luke 9:23Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
• Luke 17:33If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.
• Acts 20:24But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
• Acts 21:13But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.”
• Hebrews 11:35Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.
• Revelation 12:11And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
• Genesis 29:30So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her much more than Leah. He then stayed and worked for Laban the additional seven years.
• Ecclesiastes 2:17So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
• Luke 14:26“If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you 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
• Prince
• Andrew
• Christ, Offices of
• Jesus Christ
• Johannine Theology
• John, Gospel of
• King, Christ As

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