Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.”
- KJV Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
- NKJV Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
- NASB Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone follows My word, he will never see death.”
- NLT I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”
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
Jesus promises that whoever keeps his word will never see death. He offers eternal life to those who hold to his teaching.
Overview
With a solemn affirmation, Jesus pledges that obeying his word brings deliverance from death's ultimate power. He speaks of spiritual and eternal death, not the cessation of physical life. This promise points to the gospel hope of eternal life through faith in Christ, who is himself the resurrection and the life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- John 11:25–26Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
- John 5:24Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
- John 3:15–16that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
- John 6:50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.
- John 15:20Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.
- Luke 2:26The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
- Heb 11:5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
- Ps 89:48What man can live and never see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah
- John 8:55You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word.
- John 8:12Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
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 8:51 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.