# John 12.26

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit.</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.</span>
>
> **26. <span class="rl-speech">If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor.</span>**
>
> 27. <span class="rl-speech">Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour.</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.</span> (John 12:24-28, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.</span>
>
> **26. <span class="rl-speech">If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.</span>**
>
> 27. <span class="rl-speech">“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause I came to this time.</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">Father, glorify your name!” Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”</span> (John 12:24-28, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.</span>
>
> **26. <span class="rl-speech">If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.</span>**
>
> 27. <span class="rl-speech">Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.</span> (John 12:24-28, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">verily, verily, I say to you, if the grain of the wheat, having fallen to the earth, may not die, itself remaineth alone; and if it may die, it doth bear much fruit;</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">he who is loving his life shall lose it, and he who is hating his life in this world, to life age-during shall keep it;</span>
>
> **26. <span class="rl-speech">if any one may minister to me, let him follow me, and where I am, there also my ministrant shall be; and if any one may minister to me, honour him will the Father.</span>**
>
> 27. <span class="rl-speech">'Now hath my soul been troubled, and what? shall I say, Father, save me from this hour?, but because of this I came to this hour;</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">Father, glorify Thy name.' There came, therefore, a voice out of the heaven, 'I both glorified, and again I will glorify [it];'</span> (John 12:24-28, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/), *eimi* (Strong's G1510). Also appears in: [Matthew 8.5-12](/codex/matthew-8-5-12/), [Matthew 14.22-33](/codex/matthew-14-22-33/), [Matthew 18.20](/codex/matthew-18-20/).
- [G3962 - pater](/codex/g3962-pater/), *pater* (Strong's G3962). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.48](/codex/matthew-5-48/), [Matthew 6.25-26](/codex/matthew-6-25-26/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 12](/codex/john-12/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/)

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