Table of Contents
In this post, I have discovered 33 Quotes of Jesus concerning eternal life which I have listed below. By far the Gospel of John recorded more instances of Jesus speaking concerning eternal life than the other 3 Gospels. Therefore, we will start with the book of John to answer the question asked by a certain young ruler found in Luke 18:18. “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
25 Eternal Life Quotes of Jesus from the Book of John
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him:
#1 – “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – Jn 3:1-3
#2 – “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” – Jn 3:5
#3 – “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.” – Jn 3:6-7
#4 – “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” – Jn 3:14-15
David Guzik’s Commentary states: Jesus’ reply to Nicodemus shatters the Jewish assumption that their racial identity – their old birth – assured them a place in God’s Kingdom. Jesus makes it plain that a man’s first birth does not assure him of the kingdom – only being born again gives this assurance.
It was taught widely among the Jews at that time that since they descended from Abraham, they were automatically assured of heaven. In fact, some Rabbis taught that Abraham stood to watch at the gate of hell, just to make sure that none of his descendants accidentally wandered in there.
#5 – “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – Jn 3:16
#6 – “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” – Jn 3:17
The Seven Wonders of John 3:16
| 1. God | The Almighty Authority |
| 2. So loved the world | The Mightiest Motive |
| 3. That He gave His only begotten Son | The Greatest Gift |
| 4. That whoever | The Widest Welcome |
| 5. Believes in Him | The Easiest Escape |
| 6. Should not perish | The Divine Deliverance |
| 7. But have everlasting life | The Priceless Possession |
#7 – “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” – Jn 4:14
#8 – “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” – Jn 5:24
#9 – “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” – Jn 5:39-40
#10 – “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” – Jn 6:27
#11 – “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” – Jn 6:29
Jesus first and foremost commands us not to do, but to trust. If we want to do the work of God, it begins with trusting Jesus. Does this mean that God is unconcerned about what we do for Him? No, faith is not a substitute for works. Faith is the foundation for works that please God.
#12 – And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” – Jn 6:40
#13 – “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” – Jn 6:44
#14 – “He who believes in Me has everlasting life.” – Jn 6:47
#15 – “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” – Jn 6:51
The Jewish New Testament Commentary states: Jesus is NOT talking cannibalism as so many unbelievers try to say it means. Jewish understanding allows for symbolic interpretation of “food and drink.” To eat the flesh of the Son of Man is to absorb his entire way of being and living.
The Greek word “sarx” (“flesh”) is also used to refer to human nature in general, to the physical, emotional, mental, and volitional aspects of human existence. Yeshua [Jesus] wants us to live, feel, think and act like him; by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh [Holy Spirit], he enables us to do so. Likewise, to drink his blood is to absorb his self-sacrificing life-motivation and indeed his very life, since “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev 17:11).
#16 – “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” – Jn 6:63
#17 – “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” – Jn 7:37-38
#18 – “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death.” – Jn 8:51
#19 – “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” – Jn 10:10
#20 – “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” – Jn 10:28-29
#21 – “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” – Jn 11:25-26
#22 – “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” – Jn 12:25
#23 – “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” – Jn 14:2-3
#24- “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. – John 14:6
#25 – “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” – Jn 17:3
From the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary: This is the only place where our Lord gives Himself this compound name, afterwards so current in apostolic preaching and writing. Here the terms are used in their strict signification – “JESUS,” because He “saves His people from their sins”; “Christ,” as anointed with the measureless fullness of the Holy Ghost for the exercise of His saving offices (see Mat 1:16); “WHOM THOU HAST SENT,” in the plenitude of Divine Authority and Power, to save. “The very juxtaposition here of Jesus Christ with the Father is a proof, by implication, of our Lord’s Godhead.
8 More Quotes of Jesus From the Other Gospels
Here are 8 quotes from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke concerning eternal life.
#1 – “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” – Luke 13:24
#2 – “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to [eternal] life, and there are few who find it.”- Mt 7:14
#3 – “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” – Mat 19:29
#4 – “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” – Mat 25:46
#5 – “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospels will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Mk 8:34-37
#6 – “I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” – Lk 15:10
#7 – “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.”- Lk 20:34-36
#8 – “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” – Luke 23:43
Final Thoughts
I hope you are enjoying the Quotes of Jesus posts. I always enjoy putting scriptures together on various topics. It keeps me grounded in God’s Word and no matter how many times I read His Word, I always learn something that I may have missed. Once I’m finished with the series if God wills I will create a PDF booklet of all the quotes and you will be able to download it for free. You can see my other PDF E-books here. Until next time…
Maranatha! Until next time, I am Passionately Loving Jesus, the Anchor of my Soul.
Maranatha! Until next time, I am Passionately Loving Jesus, the Anchor of my Soul.
Other Posts in this Series:
- The Power of Words Can Bring Life or Death
- 9 Favorite Quotes from Jesus Christ’s Last Week
- 25 Further Quotes of Jesus from Passover Week15 Quotes From Jesus After the Resurrection
- 25 Quotes of Jesus Regarding His Return aka Second Coming
Other Sources
