Matthew 16:26
24 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
28 Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
- KJV
- For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
- WEB
- For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?
- ASV
- For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?
- DARBY
- For what does a man profit, if he should gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
- BLB
- For what will it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, but lose his soul? Or what will a man give [as] an exchange for his soul?
- ÅB
- For hva gagner det et menneske om han vinner hele verden, men skader sjelen sin? Eller hva kan et menneske gi som vederlag for sjelen sin?
- OTB
- Hva gagner det et menneske å vinne hele verden, men miste sin sjel? Eller hva kan noen gi i bytte for sin sjel?
- B1930
- For hvad gagner det et menneske om han vinner den hele verden, men tar skade på sin sjel? eller hvad vil et menneske gi til vederlag for sin sjel?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Job 27:8
For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
Read in contextMark 8:36–37
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Read in contextLuke 9:25
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self?
Read in contextLuke 12:20
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
Read in contextPsalms 49:7–8
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
Read in contextLuke 16:25
But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
Read in contextJob 2:4
“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.
Read in contextMatthew 5:29
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Read in context