John 12:26

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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of John 12:26

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. 25Those 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. 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. 27“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”

John 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 13:16I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.
• John 14:15“If you love me, obey my commandments.
• John 15:20Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.
• Luke 6:46“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?
• Romans 1:1This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
• Romans 14:18If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.
• 2 Corinthians 4:5You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.
• Galatians 1:10Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
• Colossians 3:24Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
• Colossians 4:12Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.
• 2 Peter 1:1This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
• 1 John 5:3Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.
• Jude 1:1This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.
• John 10:27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
• John 21:22Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
• Numbers 14:24But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.

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

• Deacon
• God
• Heaven
• Jesus Continued
• Obedience
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Prince
• Andrew
• Christ, Offices of
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• King, Christ As
• Ministry

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