Luke 9:24
New International Version
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.

New Living Translation
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

English Standard Version
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Berean Standard Bible
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Berean Literal Bible
For whoever might desire to save his life will lose it; but whoever might lose his life on account of me, he will save it.

King James Bible
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

New King James Version
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

New American Standard Bible
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, this is the one who will save it.

NASB 1995
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

NASB 1977
“For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

Legacy Standard Bible
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

Amplified Bible
For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake, he is the one who will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God].

Christian Standard Bible
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.

American Standard Version
For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Contemporary English Version
If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will save it.

English Revised Version
For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me will save them.

Good News Translation
For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it.

International Standard Version
because whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Majority Standard Bible
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

NET Bible
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

New Heart English Bible
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it.

Webster's Bible Translation
For whoever will save his life, shall lose it: but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Weymouth New Testament
For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall save it.

World English Bible
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake will save it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for whoever may will to save his life will lose it, and whoever may lose his life for My sake, he will save it;

Berean Literal Bible
For whoever might desire to save his life will lose it; but whoever might lose his life on account of me, he will save it.

Young's Literal Translation
for whoever may will to save his life, shall lose it, and whoever may lose his life for my sake, he shall save it;

Smith's Literal Translation
For whoever would wish to save his soul shall lose it: and whoever should lose his soul for my sake, the same shall save it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; for he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall save it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For whoever will have saved his life, will lose it. Yet whoever will have lost his life for my sake, will save it.

New American Bible
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

New Revised Standard Version
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For he who wishes to save his life, shall lose it; but he who loses his life for my sake, he shall save it.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“For whoever wills to save his soul, destroys it; but whoever will give up his soul for my sake, this one saves it.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For whoever will save his life, shall lose it; but whoever will lose his life for my sake, shall save it.

Godbey New Testament
For whosoever may wish to save his soul shall lose it; and whosoever may lose his soul for my sake, he shall save it.

Haweis New Testament
For whosoever would preserve his life shall lose it; but whosoever would lose his life for my sake, shall preserve it.

Mace New Testament
for whoever would save his life, shall lose it: and he that would lose his life, out of love to me, shall save it.

Weymouth New Testament
For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall save it.

Worrell New Testament
For whosoever wishes to save his soul shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his soul for My sake, the same shall save it.

Worsley New Testament
for he that would save his life shall lose it, but he that would lose his life for my sake shall save it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Take Up Your Cross
23Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self?…

Cross References
Matthew 16:25
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Mark 8:35
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.

John 12:25
Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Matthew 10:39
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Mark 10:29-30
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel / will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

2 Timothy 2:11-12
This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; / if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;

Revelation 12:11
They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.

Genesis 19:17
As soon as the men had brought them out, one of them said, “Run for your lives! Do not look back, and do not stop anywhere on the plain! Flee to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”

Exodus 32:32-33
Yet now, if You would only forgive their sin.... But if not, please blot me out of the book that You have written.” / The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book.

Leviticus 18:5
Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20
I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live, / and that you may love the LORD your God, obey Him, and hold fast to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”


Treasury of Scripture

For whoever will save his life shall lose it: but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Luke 17:33
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

Acts 20:23,24
Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me…

Hebrews 11:35
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

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Luke 9
1. Jesus sends his apostles to work miracles, and to preach.
7. Herod desires to see Jesus.
10. The apostles return.
12. Jesus feeds five thousand;
18. inquires what opinion the world had of him; foretells his passion;
23. proposes to all the pattern of his patience.
28. The transfiguration.
37. He heals the lunatic;
43. again forewarns his disciples of his passion;
46. commends humility;
51. bids them to show mildness toward all, without desire of revenge.
57. Many would follow him, but upon conditions.














For whoever wants to save his life
This phrase begins with the Greek word "γάρ" (gar), meaning "for," which connects this statement to the preceding verses about self-denial and taking up one's cross. The word "wants" is translated from "θέλει" (thelei), indicating a deliberate desire or intention. The term "save" comes from "σῴζω" (sōzō), which means to preserve or rescue from danger. In this context, "life" is translated from "ψυχή" (psychē), often understood as the soul or the essence of one's being. Historically, this reflects the human instinct to preserve one's physical life, but Jesus challenges this notion by suggesting a deeper, spiritual dimension.

will lose it
The Greek word for "lose" is "ἀπολέσει" (apolesei), which means to destroy or lose. This paradoxical statement emphasizes the futility of clinging to earthly life at the expense of spiritual truth. The historical context of martyrdom in the early church underscores the reality that physical life may be sacrificed for the sake of faith, yet true life is found in Christ.

but whoever loses his life for My sake
The conjunction "but" (δέ, de) introduces a contrast. "Loses" is again from "ἀπολέσει" (apolesei), reinforcing the idea of willingly giving up one's life. The phrase "for My sake" is crucial, as it signifies the motivation behind the sacrifice. The Greek "ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ" (heneken emou) implies a purpose or cause, specifically for Jesus and His mission. This reflects the call to discipleship, where allegiance to Christ takes precedence over self-preservation.

will save it
Here, "save" is again from "σῴζω" (sōzō), but in this context, it refers to the ultimate salvation of the soul. The promise is that those who surrender their earthly life for Christ will gain eternal life. This assurance is rooted in the resurrection hope, a central tenet of Christian faith, affirming that true life is found in union with Jesus.

Verse 24. - For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. The Greek word here rendered "life" signifies the natural animal life, of which the main interests are centred in the earth. If a man grasp at this shadowy, quickly passing earthly life, he will assuredly lose the substantial enduring heaven-life. If, on the other hand, he consents, "for my sake," to sacrifice this quickly fading life of earth, he shall surely find it again in heaven, no longer quickly fading, but a life fadeless, eternal, a life infinitely higher than the one he has for righteousness' sake consented to lose here. The same beautiful and comforting truth we find in that fragment, as it is supposed, of a very early Christian hymn, woven into the tapestry of St. Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy -

"If we be dead with him,
We shall also live with him:
If we suffer, We shall also reign."


(2 Timothy 2:11, 12.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

whoever
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

wants
θέλῃ (thelē)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

to save
σῶσαι (sōsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4982: To save, heal, preserve, rescue. From a primary sos; to save, i.e. Deliver or protect.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

life
ψυχὴν (psychēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5590: From psucho; breath, i.e. spirit, abstractly or concretely.

will lose
ἀπολέσει (apolesei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 622: From apo and the base of olethros; to destroy fully, literally or figuratively.

it,
αὐτήν (autēn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

but
δ’ (d’)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

whoever
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

loses
ἀπολέσῃ (apolesē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 622: From apo and the base of olethros; to destroy fully, literally or figuratively.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

life
ψυχὴν (psychēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5590: From psucho; breath, i.e. spirit, abstractly or concretely.

for My sake
ἕνεκεν (heneken)
Preposition
Strong's 1752: Or heneken hen'-ek-en or heineken hi'-nek-en; of uncertain affinity; on account of.

will save
σώσει (sōsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4982: To save, heal, preserve, rescue. From a primary sos; to save, i.e. Deliver or protect.

it.
αὐτήν (autēn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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Luke 9:23
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