He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
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.
- BSB Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
- 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 10:39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
- Luke 9:23–24And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
- 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.
- Matt 16:25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
- Luke 14:26If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
- Acts 20:24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
- Matt 19:29And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
- Rev 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.
- Eccl 2:17Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
- Gen 29:30–33And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
- Heb 11:35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.