John 12:25
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Cross-references
Matthew 10:39 gives an identical saying: losing life for Christ saves it, reinforcing the paradox.
Matthew 16:25 repeats the same teaching: saving life loses it, losing for Christ finds it.
Mark 8:35 presents the same paradox verbatim: saving life loses it, losing life saves it.
Luke 9:24 repeats the same saying: whoever loses his life for Jesus will save it.
In Luke 14:26, Jesus uses the same 'hate' language for family and one's own life, both teaching that discipleship requires total self-denial.
Luke 17:33 echoes the same principle: seeking to preserve life loses it; losing it keeps it.
Revelation 12:11 says believers conquered by not loving their lives even to death — direct application.
Acts 14:22 teaches that entering God's kingdom requires many tribulations—a parallel to hating one's life to keep it for eternal life.
Romans 8:17 connects suffering with Christ to being glorified with him—the same principle of losing life to gain eternal reward.
In Revelation 2:10, faithfulness unto death brings the crown of life — directly echoing Jesus' promise that losing one's life preserves it for eternal life.
Matthew 19:29 applies the same sacrifice principle to leaving family, gaining eternal life.
Luke 9:23 calls for daily self-denial and cross-bearing — the practical outworking of hating one's life.
Acts 20:24 shows Paul counting his life as nothing to finish his ministry — living out 'hating his life'.
Acts 21:13 has Paul ready to die for Jesus' name — an example of not loving his life unto death.
Hebrews 11:35 describes martyrs refusing release for a better resurrection — losing life to gain eternal life.