Luke 9:24-25

9:24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,¹ but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 9:25 For what does it benefit a person² if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself?

Matthew 10:39

10:39 Whoever finds his life³ will lose it,⁴ and whoever loses his life because of me⁵ will find it.

Matthew 16:25

16:25 For whoever wants to save his life⁶ will lose it,⁷ but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Mark 8:35-37

8:35 For whoever wants to save his life⁸ will lose it,⁹ but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it. 8:36 For what benefit is it for a person¹⁰ to gain the whole world, yet¹¹ forfeit his life? 8:37 What can a person give in exchange for his life?

John 12:25

12:25 The one who loves his life¹² destroys¹³ it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards¹⁴ it for eternal life.

Revelation 2:10

2:10 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown¹⁵ into prison so you may be tested,¹⁶ and you will experience suffering¹⁷ for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.¹⁸

¹sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.

²tn Grk “a man,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here to refer to both men and women.

³tn Grk “his soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.

⁴sn If there is no willingness to suffer the world’s rejection at this point, then one will not respond to Jesus (which is trying to find life) and then will be subject to this judgment (which is losing it).

⁵tn Or “for my sake.” The traditional rendering “for my sake” can be understood in the sense of “for my benefit,” but the Greek term ἕνεκα indicates the cause or reason for something (BDAG 334 s.v. 1).

⁶tn Or “soul” (throughout vv. 25-26).

⁷sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.

⁸tn Or “soul” (throughout vv. 35-37).

⁹sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.

¹⁰tn Grk “a man,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here to refer to both men and women.

¹¹tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

¹²tn Or “soul.”

¹³tn Or “loses.” Although the traditional English translation of ἀπολλύει (apolluei) in John 12:25 is “loses,” the contrast with φυλάξει (fulaxei, “keeps” or “guards”) in the second half of the verse favors the meaning “destroy” here.

¹⁴tn Or “keeps.”

¹⁵tn Grk “is about to throw some of you,” but the force is causative in context.

¹⁶tn Or “tempted.”

¹⁷tn Or “experience persecution,” “will be in distress” (see L&N 22.2).

¹⁸tn Grk “crown of life,” with the genitive “of life” (τῆς ζωῆς, th" zwh") functioning in apposition to “crown” (στέφανον, stefanon): “the crown that consists of life.”