^12:23Jesus replied,⁴³ “The time⁴⁴ has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.⁴⁵^12:24I tell you the solemn truth,⁴⁶ unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone.⁴⁷ But if it dies, it produces⁴⁸ much grain.⁴⁹^12:25The one who loves his life⁵⁰ destroys⁵¹ it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards⁵² it for eternal life. ^12:26If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow⁵³ me, and where I am, my servant will be too.⁵⁴ If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

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Footnotes

43 Grk “Jesus answered them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
44 Grk “the hour.”
45 Jesus’ reply, the time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified, is a bit puzzling. As far as the author’s account is concerned, Jesus totally ignores these Greeks and makes no further reference to them whatsoever. It appears that his words are addressed to Andrew and Philip, but in fact they must have had a wider audience, including possibly the Greeks who had wished to see him in the first place. The words the time has come recall all the previous references to “the hour” throughout the Fourth Gospel (see the note on time in ). There is no doubt, in light of the following verse, that Jesus refers to his death here. On his pathway to glorification lies the cross, and it is just ahead.
46 Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
47 Or “it remains only a single kernel.”
48 Or “bears.”
49 Grk “much fruit.”
50 Or “soul.”
51 Or “loses.” Although the traditional English translation of ἀπολλύει (apolluei) in John 12:25 is “loses,” the contrast with φυλάξει (phulaxei, “keeps” or “guards”) in the second half of the verse favors the meaning “destroy” here.
52 Or “keeps.”
53 As a third person imperative in Greek, ἀκολουθείτω (akoloutheitō) is usually translated “let him follow me.” This could be understood by the modern English reader as merely permissive, however (“he may follow me if he wishes”). In this context there is no permissive sense, but rather a command, so the translation “he must follow me” is preferred.
54 Grk “where I am, there my servant will be too.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. 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. If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

NLTNew Living Translation

Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 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. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man will be glorified. Truly, truly I say to 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. The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world preserves it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 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. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 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.

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