Luke 17:33 kjv
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Luke 17:33 nkjv
Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
Luke 17:33 niv
Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.
Luke 17:33 esv
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.
Luke 17:33 nlt
If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.
Luke 17 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 10:39 | Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. | Discipleship cost and reward |
| Matt 16:25 | For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. | Same teaching, expanded context of following Jesus |
| Mark 8:35 | For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. | Explicitly links loss of life to the gospel |
| Luke 9:24 | For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. | Luke's direct parallel to the current verse context |
| John 12:25 | Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. | Jesus on the grain of wheat, for eternal life |
| Gal 2:20 | I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. | Spiritual identification with Christ's death and resurrection |
| Phil 1:21 | For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. | Paul's complete devotion and eternal perspective |
| 1 Pet 4:1-2 | Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking… no longer for human passions but for the will of God. | Mindset of suffering and living for God's will |
| Heb 11:35 | Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. | Faith that chooses suffering for a greater, eternal reward |
| Rev 12:11 | And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. | Overcoming by sacrificial love unto martyrdom |
| Acts 20:24 | But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus. | Paul's commitment prioritizing ministry over personal safety |
| Rom 6:6-11 | We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing… | Death to the old self, new life in Christ |
| 2 Cor 4:10-12 | Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. | Death and life paradox in daily Christian living |
| Matt 19:29 | And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold… | Giving up worldly attachments for Christ's name and reward |
| Luke 14:26 | If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. | Radical detachment from earthly ties, including self, for discipleship |
| Heb 10:34 | For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. | Willingness to lose earthly possessions for an eternal hope |
| Phil 3:7-8 | But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. | Paul's supreme valuation of Christ over all worldly achievements |
| Col 3:3-4 | For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. | Believers' identification with Christ in His death and future glory |
| Rom 8:13 | For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. | Spiritual life through mortification of sinful desires by the Spirit |
| Tit 2:12 | Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, | Denying self and worldly passions for godly living |
Luke 17 verses
Luke 17 33 Meaning
Luke 17:33 presents a profound paradox from Jesus Christ: those who cling to or seek to preserve their earthly existence and all that defines it in this world will ultimately lose out on true, eternal life, whereas those who willingly relinquish, abandon, or "lose" their present life—specifically for Christ's sake or in obedient alignment with His coming Kingdom—will ultimately find and secure enduring life. This statement underscores a radical reorientation of values, prioritizing the eternal over the temporal and true spiritual life over mere physical existence.
Luke 17 33 Context
Luke 17:33 is part of Jesus’ extended teaching to His disciples regarding the coming of the Kingdom of God and the appearance of the Son of Man, immediately following questions from the Pharisees (17:20-21) and then addressing His disciples more specifically (17:22-37). Jesus contrasts the sudden, unmistakable nature of His coming with the worldly distractions of daily life. He warns against being caught unprepared, likening His return to the sudden destructions in the days of Noah and Lot, where people were consumed with mundane activities and oblivious to impending judgment (17:26-30). Directly preceding verse 33, Jesus commands, "Let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise the one who is in the field, not turn back. Remember Lot's wife" (17:31-32). This immediate context highlights a critical choice between clinging to temporary earthly security and possessions, and radical obedience and detachment in preparation for divine intervention or judgment. Verse 33 thus serves as the foundational spiritual principle explaining why such detachment and readiness are necessary: ultimate life is found not in self-preservation of what is earthly, but in a willingness to sacrifice it for a greater, eternal reality tied to the Son of Man’s arrival.
Luke 17 33 Word analysis
- Whoever seeks to preserve / ζητήσῃ σῶσαι (zētēsē sōsai)
- `ζητήσῃ` (zētēsē - seeks): Denotes a deliberate and active endeavor or pursuit, suggesting a strong desire and effort.
- `σῶσαι` (sōsai - to save/preserve): Refers to the act of saving, delivering, or keeping something safe. In this context, it implies self-preservation of one's physical life or earthly existence from danger or loss. The implication is an anxious, self-focused effort to cling to life.
- Significance: This phrase points to a human inclination to protect one's life at all costs, particularly when it comes to temporal comfort, safety, or possessions. Jesus warns against this impulse if it conflicts with radical discipleship or the divine summons.
- his life / τὴν ψυχὴν (tēn psychēn)
- `ψυχή` (psychē - life/soul/self): A multifaceted term in Greek, referring not just to physical existence (biologial life, βίος), but often to the inner being, the self, the personality, the essence of one's identity, desires, and vital breath. It encompasses one's aspirations, will, and cherished earthly interests.
- Significance: The verse isn't merely about dying physically; it’s about a radical shift in one's orientation and identity. "Losing one's life" here often means relinquishing the self-centered pursuits and earthly values that define one's current existence.
- will lose it / ἀπολέσει (apolesēi)
- `ἀπολέσει` (apolesēi - will lose/destroy): Implies not just losing in a general sense, but a sense of perishing, ruining, or rendering useless. It conveys a complete forfeiture or destruction of something previously possessed.
- Significance: This "loss" is ultimate and final. By clinging to the temporal and self, one forfeits the eternal and true life that God offers. It is a spiritual destruction, an eternal disadvantage.
- but whoever loses / ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ (hos d’ an apolesēi)
- `ἀπολέσῃ` (apolesēi - loses/abandons): The same root verb as above, but here used actively in the sense of one who willingly gives up, abandons, or sacrifices their life/self.
- Significance: This losing is not forced but voluntary, a conscious act of relinquishing control and surrendering one's claims on this life. This "loss" is understood as for the sake of Christ or the Kingdom, embodying self-denial.
- will keep it / ζωογονήσει (zoogonēsei)
- `ζωογονήσει` (zoogonēsei - will preserve alive/will cause to live/will quicken): A powerful verb, often translated as "will keep it alive" or "will give it life." It's derived from "life" (ζωή - zōē, signifying eternal/spiritual life) and "beget/bring forth." It suggests divine preservation, an imparting of new life, or a quickening that leads to enduring existence. It is not merely physical survival but true, abundant, and everlasting life.
- Significance: The outcome is profound, signifying the reception of true, eternal life (ζωή - zōē) from God, distinct from the temporary ψυχή that was lost. This life is enduring, God-given, and represents salvation and a restored relationship with the Creator.
- "seeks to preserve his life will lose it" (ζητήσῃ σῶσαι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπολέσει αὐτήν)
- This phrase highlights the futility and self-defeating nature of selfishly clinging to temporal existence or one's self-oriented identity. The more one strives to secure life on one's own terms and by one's own efforts, the more one ultimately fails to attain true, spiritual life. This speaks to the paradox of relying on human striving rather than divine providence.
- "but whoever loses his life will keep it" (ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ ζωογονήσει αὐτήν)
- This phrase encapsulates the principle of cruciform discipleship: genuine life is found through self-sacrifice and surrender to God's will. By voluntarily surrendering self-will, earthly security, and temporal aspirations, one becomes recipient of God’s ultimate, quickening, and eternal life. This emphasizes the counter-intuitive wisdom of God's Kingdom.
Luke 17 33 Bonus section
This profound paradox finds echoes not only in individual spiritual discipline but also in the corporate life of believers. For a community to truly "live" and thrive in the Spirit, its members must often be willing to "lose" their individual agendas, preferences, and comforts for the greater good and mission of the Body of Christ. This "losing" for the sake of a higher calling transforms sacrifice into a pathway to abundant, divinely-empowered life. The imagery also challenges the modern notion that life is simply prolonged physical existence, redefining true "life" as union with Christ and participation in His eternal reign. It points to a value system entirely opposed to that of the world, where gain is loss and loss is gain when viewed through an eternal lens.
Luke 17 33 Commentary
Luke 17:33 is a quintessential paradoxical teaching of Jesus, found repeatedly across the Gospels, revealing a foundational principle of the Kingdom of God. In a world naturally inclined towards self-preservation, accumulation, and personal comfort, Jesus presents a radical alternative: true life is obtained through its voluntary relinquishment. This "loss" is not self-annihilation, but a deliberate surrender of one's independent and often self-centered "soul-life" (ψυχή), whether through martyrdom, detachment from worldly goods in a time of crisis, or simply daily denial of self-will in submission to God.
The context within Luke 17 reinforces this: as Jesus warns about the suddenness of His return (like the days of Noah and Lot), He emphasizes that clinging to earthly attachments (represented by Lot's wife looking back at Sodom, or the person on the rooftop desiring their possessions) will lead to spiritual demise. The "life" (ψυχή) one tries to save is the temporal, earth-bound existence and its values, while the "life" (ζωογονήσει) one "keeps" or gains is the enduring, divine, eternal life offered by Christ. This verse thus functions as both a warning against worldly entanglement and a promise of ultimate life for those whose priorities align with the Kingdom of God, inviting a radical trust in God over self and temporal security.