YHN 12:24 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) I can assure you that unless a wheat seed drops into the ground and dies, it will stay just as it is, but if it dies, it’s able to produce a harvest.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat, having fallen into the earth, dies, it remains by itself; but if it would die, it bears much fruit.

UST I am telling you the truth: My life is like a seed. Unless a seed of wheat is planted in the ground and dies, it will only be one seed. But if it dies in the ground, then it will grow and produce much wheat.

BLB Truly, truly, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat, having fallen into the ground, should die, it abides alone; but if it should die, it bears much fruit.

AICNT “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.

OEB In truth I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains solitary; but, if it dies, it becomes fruitful.

WEBBE 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.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I tell you the solemn truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain.

LSV truly, truly, I say to you, if the grain of the wheat, having fallen to the earth, may not die, itself remains alone; and if it may die, it bears much fruit;

FBV I tell you the truth: unless a grain of wheat is planted in the soil and dies[fn], it remains just one grain. But if it dies, it produces many more grains of wheat.

12:24 Meaning that it looks like it dies.

TCNT Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

T4T Listen to this carefully: My life is like a seed [MET]. If someone does not plant a kernel of grain in the ground, it does not change. It remains only one seed. But if it changes after it is planted in the ground, it will grow and produce many seeds.

LEB Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and[fn] dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

12:24 *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“falls”) has been translated as a finite verb

BBE Truly I say to you, If a seed of grain does not go into the earth and come to an end, it is still a seed and no more; but through its death it gives much fruit.

Moff Truly, truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain; but if it dies, it bears rich fruit.

Wymth In most solemn truth I tell you that unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains what it was—a single grain; but that if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.

ASV 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.

DRA Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die,

YLT 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;

Drby Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, it abides alone; but if it die, it bears much fruit.

RV 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.
(Verily/Truly, verily/truly, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth/abides by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth/bears much fruit. )

SLT Truly, truly, I say to you, except a kernel of wheat, having fallen into the earth, should die, it remains alone: and if it should die, it brings forth much fruit.

Wbstr Verily, verily, I say to you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

KJB-1769 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.
( Verily/Truly, verily/truly, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth/abides alone: but if it die, it bringeth/brings forth much fruit. )

KJB-1611 Uerely, verely, I say vnto you, Except a corne of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Ueryly, veryly, I say vnto you, except the wheate corne fall into the grounde, and dye, it abideth alone: If it dye, it bryngeth foorth much fruite.
(Verily/Truly, verily/truly, I say unto you, except the wheat corn fall into the ground, and dye, it abideth/abides alone: If it dye, it bringeth/brings forth much fruit.)

Gnva Verely, verely I say vnto you, Except the wheate corne fall into the grounde and die, it bideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth foorth much fruite.
(Verily/Truly, verily/truly I say unto you, Except the wheat corn fall into the ground and die, it bideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth/brings forth much fruit. )

Cvdl Verely verely I saye vnto you: Excepte the wheatcorne fall in to the grounde, and dye, it bydeth alone: But yf it dye, it bryngeth forth moch frute.
(Verily/Truly verily/truly I say unto you: Except the wheatcorne fall in to the ground, and dye, it bydeth alone: But if it dye, it bringeth/brings forth much fruit.)

TNT Verely verely I saye vnto you except the wheate corne fall into the grounde and dye it bydeth alone. Yf it dye it brengeth forth moche frute.
(Verily/Truly verily/truly I say unto you except the wheat corn fall into the ground and dye it bydeth alone. If it dye it brengeth forth much fruit. )

Wycl Treuli, treuli, Y seie to you, but a corn of whete falle in to the erthe, and be deed, it dwellith aloone;
(Truly, truly, I say to you, but a corn of wheat fall in to the earth, and be deed, it dwelleth/dwells alone;)

Luth Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch: Es sei denn, daß das Weizenkorn in die Erde falle und ersterbe, so bleibt‘s alleine; wo es aber erstirbt, so bringt‘s viel Früchte.
(Truly, truly, I said you: It be because/than, that the wheatkorn in the earth/land/ground fall and firstrbe, so remains/stays‘s alone/solely; where it but erstirbt, so bring_it many fruit.)

ClVg Amen, amen dico vobis, nisi granum frumenti cadens in terram, mortuum fuerit,
(Amen, amen I_mean/say to_you(pl), except grain grain falling in/into/on the_earth/land, dead has_been, )

UGNT ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς μόνος μένει; ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, πολὺν καρπὸν φέρει.
(amaʸn, amaʸn, legō humin, ean maʸ ho kokkos tou sitou pesōn eis taʸn gaʸn apothanaʸ, autos monos menei; ean de apothanaʸ, polun karpon ferei.)

SBL-GNT ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς μόνος μένει· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, πολὺν καρπὸν φέρει.
(amaʸn amaʸn legō humin, ean maʸ ho kokkos tou sitou pesōn eis taʸn gaʸn apothanaʸ, autos monos menei; ean de apothanaʸ, polun karpon ferei.)

RP-GNT Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς μόνος μένει· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, πολὺν καρπὸν φέρει.
(Amaʸn amaʸn legō humin, ean maʸ ho kokkos tou sitou pesōn eis taʸn gaʸn apothanaʸ, autos monos menei; ean de apothanaʸ, polun karpon ferei.)

TC-GNT Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς μόνος μένει· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, πολὺν καρπὸν φέρει.
(Amaʸn amaʸn legō humin, ean maʸ ho kokkos tou sitou pesōn eis taʸn gaʸn apothanaʸ, autos monos menei; ean de apothanaʸ, polun karpon ferei. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:20–26: Some Greeks wanted to meet Jesus

Some Greek people went to Philip to ask to meet Jesus. Jesus responded to the Greeks’ request by giving the illustration of a seed that must die to produce fruit.

Here are some other possible titles for this section:

Some Greek people asked to see Jesus

Some Greeks sought Jesus

12:24a

Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,

I tell you the truth, unless a seed/grain of wheat enters the ground and ceases to be a seed,
Listen to this true/important saying: someone must plant/bury a wheat seed in the ground to die,

12:24b

it remains only a seed;

it will remain just that one seed.
or it will always stay just one seed.

12:24a–b

Truly, truly, I tell you: This expression is often used in this Gospel. It introduces something important Jesus wanted to say. He was encouraging his listeners to listen carefully and accept what he said. See how you translated this expression in 5:24 and 8:58. For example:

I tell you the truth (NLT)

I tell you for certain (CEV)

Listen to this true saying

unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as unless is more literally “if not.” Jesus was saying that if a grain of wheat did not fall into the earth and die, it would remain just a single grain. It would only become more than a single grain if it fell into the ground and died. A seed must be buried in the ground, like it was dead, in order to produce a crop.

Jesus was illustrating his own death by comparing it to the way a wheat seed is planted in the ground. It was necessary for him to die in order to bear fruit (bring people into the kingdom of God). However, he did not explain this saying and it is best that you translate it literally. Here are other ways to translate this idea:

if a seed is not buried in the ground, it cannot produce fruit

a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die to make many seeds (NCV)

only if a wheat seed falls into the earth and dies will it become many

a kernel of wheat: The people of Palestine grew a lot of wheat in Jesus’ time and used it to make bread. See how you translated wheat in Luke 3:17, 16:7 and 1 Corinthians 15:37. The kernel is the individual seed that can grow into a new wheat plant. Refer to the wheat seed in a way that is natural in your language. For example

a seed of wheat

A single grain of wheat (GW)

Jesus used a kernel of wheat as an example of a seed that must be buried in the ground in order to produce many seeds. What Jesus said about the kernel of wheat is true for any type of seed. In some cultures where wheat is unknown, it may be more natural to use a different seed. For example:

a rice seed

a maize/corn seed

a seed

falls to the ground: A wheat seed has to enter the earth in order to start to grow and produce other seeds. Use the vocabulary that is natural in your language in this context. For example:

is dropped into the ground

is planted in the soil (NLT)

dies: When a seed is planted it does not literally die. It ceases to exist as a seed and grows into a young plant. A seed that actually dies does not produce more seeds. But Jesus was giving an illustration of his own death and burial.

It is good to translate literally if possible. In some languages it may be strange or impossible to say that a seed that starts to grow is “dying.” If that is true in your language, it may be necessary to use other words. For example:

loses/surrenders its own life

ceases to live as a seed

it remains only a seed: A grain of wheat that is never planted does not become many. It stays the same and will eventually dry up and become useless. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

will never be more than one grain (CEV)

it remains only a single seed (NIV)

it remains alone (ESV)

General Comment on 12:24a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 12:24a–b. For example:

^24ba grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain ^24aunless it is dropped into the ground and dies (GNT)

^24bA single grain of wheat doesn’t produce anything ^24aunless it is planted in the ground and dies. (GW)

12:24c

but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

But if the seed ceases to live as a seed, it produces a great/large crop.
But if the seed loses its own life, it will produce many more/other seeds.

but: The word but introduces a situation that contrasts with that in 12:24a–b. The result of not dying in 12:24a–b is that the grain of wheat remains a single grain. However, the result of dying in 12:24c is that it bears much fruit.

if it dies, it bears much fruit: These clauses indicate that the wheat seed/grain that is planted grows and then produces many more seeds/grains. It does not, of course, produce fruit like bananas or oranges, which is what the English word usually means. Jesus was comparing his death and burial to what happens to a seed. A seed that is planted becomes many and produces fruit. Jesus was saying that his death would result in many people receiving life. Here are other ways to translate these clauses:

If it does die, then it produces many grains (GNT)

if it dies, it bears a rich harvest (REB)

if it dies: The seed does not literally die but stops existing as a seed. See 12:24a–b. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

if it ceases to exist as a seed

if it loses/surrenders its own life

it bears much fruit: Literally this clause means that a single seed will produce many fruits (whether grains, vegetables, or fruits). Jesus was using this illustration to say that his death would produce many members of God’s kingdom. They would receive life because of his death. But Jesus did not explain this, so it is recommended that you translate this idea literally. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

it produces many seeds (NIV)

it will produce lots of wheat (CEV)

General Comment on 12:24a–c

In this illustration, 12:24a–b discusses the negative possibility, that a seed is not planted. 12:24c discusses the positive possibility, that a seed is planted. In some languages it may be natural to discuss the positive before the negative. For example:

^24ca grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die to make many seeds. ^24aBut if it never dies, ^24bit remains only a single seed. (NCV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω ὑμῖν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ἐάν μή ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσών εἰς τήν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ αὐτός μόνος μένει ἐάν δέ ἀποθάνῃ πολύν καρπόν φέρει)

Jesus uses this phrase to emphasize the truth of the statement that follows. See how you translated this phrase in [1:51](../01/51.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς μόνος μένει; ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, πολὺν καρπὸν φέρει

Jesus uses a grain of wheat to refer to himself. He speaks of the death of that grain to refer to his death, burial, and resurrection. He also uses fruit to refer to those people who will trust in him for salvation after his resurrection. Just as a seed is planted and grows into a plant that will bear much fruit, so will many people trust in Jesus after he is killed, buried, and raised back to life. If this would confuse your readers, you could use a simile or express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [I am like a grain of wheat. Unless that grain of wheat, having fallen into the earth, dies, it remains by itself; but if it would die, it bears much fruit]