12:25a

Whoever loves his life: The word Whoever is indefinite. It refers to people in general, anyone and everyone who loves their life. In some languages a singular subject is more natural. For example:

The one who loves his life (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
If you love your life (Contemporary English Version)

loves his life: This phrase here refers to loving oneself above all. It means to live a selfish life, thinking mainly about one’s own desires and goals. If your readers may not understand a literal translation in this way, it may be necessary to use different words. For example:

loves himself (Revised English Bible)
-or-
love their own life ⌊above all⌋
-or-
always seek first what will benefit themselves

will lose it: This phrase indicates that these people will destroy their lives, here and into eternity. Their lives will be ruined, completely losing whatever good they had. They will not receive true life, eternal life.

The Greek verb is in the present tense, indicating something that is always true. However, the event is also something that can be considered as future. Use the tense that is natural in your language in this context. For example:

destroys it (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
will destroy them (God’s Word)

12:25b

but: This word here introduces an idea that contrasts with 12:25a, telling what happens if someone hates his life. In some languages it may therefore be natural to use a word that makes the contrast explicit like the Berean Standard Bible does.

Some English translations do not translate this word. Translate this connection in a way that is natural in your language.

whoever hates his life in this world: The phrase hates his life is an expression used in contrast to “loves his life” in 11:25a. It means that compared to their love for God, it seems like hate. It does not mean that they really hate their life. It means that these people do not consider their own life on earth as the most important thing. They are willing to sacrifice their own desires and ambitions in order to serve God and others. They believe that God and his service are more important than themselves. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

Those who care nothing for their life in this world (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
those who consider that their lives in this world are not valuable
-or-
those who refuse to consider themselves the most important

his life in this world: This phrase refers to life on earth. This person does not concentrate his attention on his earthly life and his worldly ambitions. He does not consider valuable anything that the world offers, including money, power, and reputation.

will keep it for eternal life: This phrase indicates that this person will never lose true life, which is spiritual life. He will never be separated from God. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

will keep it for eternity (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
will keep true life forever (New Century Version)
-or-
will live forever

keep: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as keep means “guard.” However in some languages it may not be natural or possible to say that one keeps or guards one’s life. Here are other possible ways to translate this verb:

will be kept safe for eternal life (Revised English Bible)
-or-
you will be given eternal life (Contemporary English Version)

for eternal life: The word eternal refers to something that does not end. The phrase eternal life refers to life with God that never ends. See how you translated eternal life in 3:15–16. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

unending life
-or-
life that never ends
-or-
living forever ⌊with God⌋

General Comment on 12:25

In some languages it may be natural to use the second-person pronoun as the subject. For example:

25a If you love your life, you will lose it. 25b If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. (God’s Word)

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