He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
- KJV He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
- BSB Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
- ESV Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
- NASB The one who has found his life will lose it, and the one who has lost his life on My account will find it.
- NLT If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
Clinging to your own life leads to losing it, while losing it for Christ leads to finding true life. Surrender to Him is the path to real gain.
Overview
Jesus states the great paradox of discipleship: self-preserving people forfeit life, while those who give themselves up for Him gain it eternally. This life laid down for Christ's sake is found again in Him who lost His life to save His people. The verse summons believers to a faith that counts Christ worth more than life itself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 12:25He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.
- Mark 8:35–36For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.
- Luke 17:33Whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life preserves it.
- Matt 16:25–26For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.
- Luke 9:24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it.
- Rev 2:10Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Phil 1:20–21according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.
- 2 Tim 4:6–8For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 10:39 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.