John 12:25

ESV Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
NIV Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their 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.
CSB The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for 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.
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.

What does John 12:25 mean?

In other passages, Jesus speaks of the fundamental choice between the world and God (Matthew 10:39; Mark 8:35–36). A person cannot cling to worldly things and still make God their top priority. In prior verses, Jesus used the analogy of a seed: it must "die" in order to fulfill its purpose. The symbolism is that of a seed being planted, then growing to maturity. Those who seek to truly follow Christ have to—as it would seem to the world—lose everything. The end result, however, is exactly what the seed—the believer—was always intended for, which is something greater and more glorious (1 Corinthians 15:36–42).

It's important to understand the narrow context of Jesus' words here. The point is not that only those who live in deliberate poverty will be saved. Nor is it that a person must perform the right kind of actions in order to be with God in eternity. Rather, this is a reference to a person's state of mind. This is why Jesus uses the dichotomy of "love" and "hate," with respect to one's earthly life. Just as Jesus was not commanding people to objectively "hate" their family (Luke 14:26), He is not telling us to objectively "hate" our lives. Rather, He's saying that we ought to put 100% of our priority, emphasis, and effort into the will of God. Those who want to cling to the world, instead of Christ, demonstrate that they "love" the world too much to sincerely follow Him (Mark 10:21–23).
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Context Summary
John 12:20–26 describes a group of Greeks—non-Jewish people who worshipped God—who approach Jesus after the triumphal entry. The disciples appear to be carefully vetting everyone who wants to come near Jesus, knowing that local religious leaders have marked Him for death. Jesus' response indicates that the time has come for His ultimate sacrifice, an event which opens the gospel of grace to the entire world.
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Chapter Summary
Jesus is treated to an honorary dinner at the home of Lazarus, whom He has recently raised from death. At this dinner, Lazarus' sister, Mary, anoints Jesus with expensive oil. Jesus then enters Jerusalem to great fanfare, stoking fears that His popularity will attract the anger of the Roman Empire. That anger even inspires a murder plot against Lazarus. After being approached by non-Jewish seekers, Jesus offers a final plea for people to understand His ministry. In effect, these are the last public words spoken by Jesus in the gospel of John.
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What is the Gospel?
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