Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.
- KJV He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
- NKJV He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
- NASB The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Whoever loves his life loses it, but whoever hates it in this world keeps it forever. Discipleship requires self-denial.
Overview
Jesus applies the principle of the dying seed to his followers, calling for a life surrendered rather than self-serving. To 'hate' one's life is to refuse to make this world's life ultimate, holding it loosely for Christ's sake. The promise is eternal life for those who follow the pattern of the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Matt 10:39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
- Luke 9:23–24Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
- Mark 8:35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
- Luke 17:33Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.
- Matt 16:25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
- Luke 14:26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
- Acts 20:24But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
- Matt 19:29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
- Rev 12:11They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.
- Eccl 2:17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
- Gen 29:30–33Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
- Heb 11:35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 12:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.