John 12:25 Meaning and Explanation
“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Whoever loves his life will lose it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.
What Does John 12:25 Mean?
The seed-saying becomes a summons. In the Hebrew manner of speech, to hate one's life is to love it less, refusing to make it one's treasure. Jesus sets two ways before every hearer: clutch this life as the highest good, or hold it loosely for the sake of a greater one.
What we grasp, we lose; time pries it from our fingers in the end. What we yield to God, he keeps unto life eternal. Jesus is not despising life but pricing it truly: it is worth too much to be spent on itself. He walked this path first, losing his life and receiving it back in glory, and he calls us after him.
John 12:25 in the Original Language
psyche (ψυχή), 'life' -- the soul or self, one's whole living being, not merely physical existence.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 12:25
What does John 12:25 mean?
Whoever loves his life will lose it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.