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Amplified Bible

John 12:26

"If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven's glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Deacon;   God;   Heaven;   Jesus Continued;   Obedience;   Righteous;   Thompson Chain Reference - Christ's;   Discipleship;   Followers;   Future, the;   Honour;   Honour-Dishonour;   In Christ's Presence;   Joys, Family;   Presence, in Christ's;   Service;   Serving Christ;   Work-Workers, Religious;   The Topic Concordance - Following;   Glory;   Honor;   Jesus Christ;   Servants;   Witness;   World;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Reward of Saints, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Bethany;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Ascension of Jesus Christ;   Jesus Christ;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Judgment, Last;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Heaven;   Ruth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Deacon;   Eternal Life;   Hate, Hatred;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hope;   John, Gospel of;   Martha;   Minister;   Transfiguration;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ambition;   Announcements of Death;   Betrayal;   Character;   Communion (2);   Discipleship;   Example;   Force;   Guide;   Honour (2);   Hopefulness ;   Ideas (Leading);   Minister, Ministration;   Ministry;   Paradox;   Poet;   Reward;   Salvation;   Self-Control;   Temple (2);   Transfiguration (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - New Testament;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Bethany;   Martha;   Passover;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Christ, Offices of;   Ministry;   Philip (2);  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 25;   Every Day Light - Devotion for October 21;   Faith's Checkbook - Devotion for December 8;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant
King James Version (1611)
If any man serue me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my seruant be: If any man serue me, him will my father honour.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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.
New American Standard Bible
"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.
New Century Version
Whoever serves me must follow me. Then my servant will be with me everywhere I am. My Father will honor anyone who serves me.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"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.
Legacy Standard Bible
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.
Berean Standard Bible
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Contemporary English Version
If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honor you.
Complete Jewish Bible
If someone is serving me, let him follow me; wherever I am, my servant will be there too. My Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Darby Translation
If any one serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall be *my* servant. [And] if any one serve me, him shall the Father honour.
Easy-to-Read Version
Whoever serves me must follow me. My servants must be with me everywhere I am. My Father will give honor to anyone who serves me.
Geneva Bible (1587)
If any man serue me, let him followe me: for where I am, there shall also my seruant be: and if any man serue me, him will my Father honour.
George Lamsa Translation
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also will my servant be; he who serves me, him my Father will honor.
Good News Translation
Whoever wants to serve me must follow me, so that my servant will be with me where I am. And my Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Lexham English Bible
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.
Literal Translation
If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will also be. And if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
If any man is my servant, let him come after me; and where I am, there will my servant be. If any man becomes my servant, my Father will give him honour.
Hebrew Names Version
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.
International Standard Version
If anyone serves me, he must follow me. And where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."John 14:3; 17:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:17;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
If any man serve me, let him come after me; and where I am, there shall be also my servant: whoever serveth me, him will my Father honour.
Murdock Translation
If any one is servant to me, he will come after me; and where I am, there also will my servant be. Him that serveth me, will the Father honor.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If any man minister vnto me, let hym folowe me: And where I am, there shall also my minister be. If any man minister vnto me, hym wyll my father honour.
English Revised Version
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 honour.
World English Bible
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.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
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 honour.
Weymouth's New Testament
If a man wishes to be my servant, let him follow me; and where I am, there too shall my servant be. If a man wishes to be my servant, the Father will honour him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If ony man serue me, sue he me; and where Y am, there my mynystre schal be. If ony man serue me, my fadir schal worschipe hym.
Update Bible Version
If any man serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serves me, the Father will honor him.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 honor.
New English Translation
If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow me, and where I am, my servant will be too. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
New King James Version
If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
If anyone wants to serve Me, he must follow Me. So where I am, the one who wants to serve Me will be there also. If anyone serves Me, My Father will honor him.
New Revised Standard
Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If, with me, anyone be ministering, with me, let him be following; and, where, I, am, there, my minister also, shall be. If anyone, with me, be ministering, the Father, will honour him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
If any man minister to me, let him follow me: and where I am, there also shall my minister be. If any man minister to me, him will my Father honour.
Revised Standard Version
If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
If eny man mynister vnto me let him folowe me and where I am there shall also my minister be. And yf eny man minister vnto me him will my father honoure.
Young's Literal Translation
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.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He that wyl serue me, let him folowe me. And where I am, there shal my seruaunt be also: and he that serueth me, him shal my father honoure.
Mace New Testament (1729)
if any man would serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall my servant be: whoever serves me, him will my father reward.
THE MESSAGE
"If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.
Simplified Cowboy Version
If you want to ride for me, you must ride where I go. And my Father will honor any man who does.

Contextual Overview

20Now there were some Greeks (Gentiles) among those who were going up to worship at the feast; 21these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 22Philip came and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted. 24"I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone [just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest. 25"The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal. 26"If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven's glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

serve: John 13:16, John 14:15, John 15:20, Luke 6:46, Romans 1:1, Romans 14:18, 2 Corinthians 4:5, Galatians 1:10, Colossians 3:24, Colossians 4:12, 2 Peter 1:1, 1 John 5:3, Jude 1:1

let: John 10:27, John 21:22, Numbers 14:24, Numbers 32:11, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, Ephesians 5:1, Ephesians 5:2, Revelation 14:4

where: John 14:3, John 17:24, Psalms 17:15, Matthew 25:21, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 1 Thessalonians 4:18

him: John 14:21-23, 1 Samuel 2:30, Proverbs 27:18

Reciprocal: Joshua 22:5 - serve 2 Kings 10:5 - We are thy servants 2 Chronicles 30:8 - serve Psalms 86:2 - save Psalms 91:15 - honour Psalms 101:6 - that they Psalms 116:16 - truly Song of Solomon 4:8 - with me Isaiah 55:4 - a leader Daniel 3:30 - the king Malachi 3:18 - between him Matthew 4:19 - Follow Matthew 13:21 - for Matthew 19:21 - come Matthew 24:47 - That Mark 8:35 - will save Mark 10:21 - take Luke 5:27 - Follow me Luke 12:37 - that Luke 19:13 - his John 10:4 - he goeth John 12:43 - the praise of God John 14:4 - and the John 15:15 - I call John 21:19 - Follow Acts 14:22 - we Acts 20:19 - Serving Acts 27:23 - and Romans 2:10 - glory Romans 8:17 - if so be Romans 16:18 - serve Ephesians 2:6 - sit Philippians 1:1 - the servants James 1:1 - a servant 1 Peter 1:7 - might 3 John 1:11 - follow Revelation 7:3 - the servants Revelation 22:3 - his Revelation 22:4 - they

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If any man serve, me,.... Or is willing to be a servant of Christ, and to be esteemed as such;

let him follow me; as in the exercise of the graces of love, humility, patience, self-denial, and resignation of will to the will of God, and in the discharge of every duty, walking as he walked, so in a way of suffering; for as the master, so the servants, as the head, so the members, through many tribulations, must enter the kingdom; to which he encourages by the following things:

and where I am; in heaven, as he now was, as the Son of God; or "where I shall be", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it, even as man, in the human nature, when raised from the dead:

there shall also my servant be; when he has done his work, and the place is prepared for him, and he for that, and where he shall ever abide; and as a further encouragement, he adds,

if any man serve me, him will [my] Father honour; by accepting his service, affording him his gracious presence here, and by giving him eternal glory hereafter, to which he has called him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Serve me - Will be my disciple, or will be a Christian. Perhaps this was said to inform the Greeks John 12:20 of the nature of his religion.

Let him follow me - Let him imitate me; do what I do, bear what I bear, and love what I love. He is discoursing here particularly of his own sufferings and death, and this passage has reference, therefore, to calamity and persecution. “You see me triumph - you see (me enter Jerusalem, and you supposed that my kingdom was to be set up without opposition or calamity; but it is not. I am to die; and if you will serve me, you must follow me even in these scenes of calamity; be willing to endure trial and to bear shame, looking for future reward.”

Where I am - See John 14:3; John 17:24. That is, he shall be in heaven, where the Son of God then was in his divine nature, and where he would be as the glorified Messiah. See the notes at John 3:13. The natural and obvious meaning of the expression “I am” implies that he was then in heaven. The design of this verse is to comfort them in the midst of persecution and trial. They were to follow him to any calamity; but, as he was to be glorified as the result of his sufferings, so they also were to look for their reward in the kingdom of heaven, Revelation 3:21; “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 26. If any man serve me — Christ is a master in a twofold sense:

1. To instruct men.

2. To employ and appoint them their work. He who wishes to serve Christ must become:

1. His disciple or scholar, that he may be taught:

2. His servant, that he may be employed by and obey his master. To such a person a twofold promise is given:

1. He shall be with Christ, in eternal fellowship with him; and

2. He shall be honoured by the Lord: he shall have an abundant recompense in glory; but how great, eye hath not seen, ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive.

How similar to this is the saying of Creeshna (an incarnation of the supreme God, according to the Hindoo theology) to his disciple Arjoon! "If one whose ways were ever so evil serve me alone, he soon becometh of a virtuous spirit, is as respectable as the just man, and obtaineth eternal happiness. Consider this world as a finite and joyless place, and serve me. Be of my mind, my servant, my adorer, and bow down before me. Unite thy soul unto me, make me thy asylum, and thou shalt go unto me." And again: "I am extremely dear to the wise man, and he is dear to me-I esteem the wise man even as myself, because his devout spirit dependeth upon me alone as his ultimate resource." Bhagvat Geeta, pp. 71 and 82.

The rabbins have an extravagant saying, viz. "God is more concerned for the honour of the just man than for his own."


 
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