Matthew 16:25

Matthew 16:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
• New International Version (NIV)For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Context of Matthew 16:25

23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Matthew 16:25 word by word

ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι, ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, εὑρήσει αὐτήν.¶Read the interlinear

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• whosoeverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lifeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• lifeψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
• shall loseἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
• andδέde · thenG1161
• forἕνεκαheneka heneken heineken · because ofG1752
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• shall findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147

Cross-references for Matthew 16:25

• Matthew 10:39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
• Esther 4:14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
• Mark 8:35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
• Luke 17:33Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
• John 12:25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
• Acts 20:23Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
• Revelation 12:11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Commentaries on Matthew 16:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25For whosoever will save his life - That is, shall wish to save his life - at the expense of his conscience, and casting aside the cross, he shall lose it - the very evil he wishes to avoid shall overtake him; and he shall lose his soul into the bargain. See then how necessary it is to renounce one's self! But whatsoever a man loses in this world, for his steady attachment to Christ and his cause, he shall have amply made up to him in the eternal world.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24-28Verses 24-28 This discourse is also recorded in Mark 8:34-38; Mark 9:1; and Luke 9:23-27. Let him, deny himself - That is, let him surrender to God his will, his affections, his body, and his soul. Let him not seek his own happiness as the supreme object, but be willing to renounce all, and lay down his life also, if required. Take up his cross - See the notes at Matthew 10:38. Matthew 16:25 Whosoever will save his life … - See the notes at Matthew 10:39…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-28Verses 24-28 A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall follow him to glory. He is one that walks in the same way Christ walked in, is led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoever he goes. "Let him deny himself." If self-denial be a hard lesson, it is no more than what our Master learned and practised, to redeem us, and to teach us. "Let him take up his cross." The cross is here put for every trouble that befalls…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25The disciples of Jesus need to give up control of their own lives, even being willing to suffer or die for him. Jesus promised that those who follow him in this way may suffer now, but at the final judgment God will show them to be right, clear away every false charge, and welcome them into his kingdom with honor (see 1 Peter 2:23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. For whosoever will save--is minded to save, or bent on saving. his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it--(See on Mt 10:38,39). "A suffering and dying Messiah liketh you ill; but what if His servants shall meet the same fate? They may not; but who follows Me must be prepared for the worst."Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 16:25

• Jesus, the Christ
• Life
• Martyrdom
• Paradox
• Reward
• Self-Denial
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Bind
• Blood
• Gain
• Gate
• Hell
• Leaven
• Loose
• Profited
• Reason

Commentaries on Matthew 16

• 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