Matthew 16:26

Matthew 16:26 in other versions

• King James Version (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?
• New International Version (NIV)What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
• English Standard Version (ESV)For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
• New King James Version (NKJV)For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Context of Matthew 16:26

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘A person who wants to come with me must not think about himself. He must decide that his own life is not important. He must be like someone who carries his own cross to go and die. Then he may come with me as my disciple. 25Whoever wants to keep his life safe will lose it. But whoever gives his life to serve me will have true life. A person may get everything in the whole world for himself. But if he loses his life, it will not be any good for him. There is nothing that a person can give to get back his life. 27I tell you all this because I, the Son of Man, will come back to this earth with God's angels. When I come, I will have the powerful beauty of my Father. I will see what each person has done on earth. Then I will pay them what is right. 28I tell you this: When I, the Son of Man, come with power, some people who are standing here will see me at that time. Before they die, they will see me begin to rule in my kingdom.’

Matthew 16:26 word by word

Τί γὰρ ὠφεληθήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἐὰν τὸν κόσμον ὅλον κερδήσῃ, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ζημιωθῇ; ἢ τί δώσει ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• isὠφελέωōpheleō · to helpG5623
• a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• he shall gainκερδαίνωkerdainō · to gainG2770
• theκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• andδέde · thenG1161
• loseζημιόωzēmioō · to loseG2210
• his ownαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• soulψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
• orἤē · orG2228
• shallδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• in exchangeἀντάλλαγμαantallagma · in exchangeG465
• forψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590

Cross-references for Matthew 16:26

• Matthew 5:29If your right eye leads you to do wrong things, then you should take it out. You should throw it away. Yes, you will lose one eye. But it will be much worse if you keep your whole body and God throws you into hell.
• Job 2:4Satan answered the Lord, ‘A man will always take care of his own body. He would do anything to save his own life.
• Mark 8:36A person may get everything in the whole world for himself. But if he loses his life, it will not be any good for him.
• Luke 9:25A person may get everything in the whole world for himself. But if he loses his life, it would not be any good for him. He will have destroyed himself in the end.
• Matthew 4:8Then the Devil led Jesus up a very high mountain. He showed Jesus all the countries in the whole world. They were very great and beautiful.
• Job 27:8When God chooses to remove wicked people, they cannot hope for any good thing. God will cause them to die.
• Luke 12:20But then God said to the man, “You are a fool! Tonight you will die. You will have to leave everything behind that you have stored. Somebody else will have them, but you will not!” ’
• Luke 16:25Abraham replied, “My child, remember the time when you were alive on earth. Remember what happened then. You had many good things, and Lazarus had many bad things. Now I am taking care of Lazarus, and you are in pain.
• Psalms 49:7Nobody can pay the price to save another person. Nobody can pay God the price for their life.
• Mark 8:37There is nothing that a person can give to get back his life.

Commentaries on Matthew 16:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Lose his own soul - Or, lose his life, . On what authority many have translated the word , in the 25th verse, life, and in this verse, soul, I know not, but am certain it means life in both places. If a man should gain the whole world, its riches, honors, and pleasures, and lose his life, what would all these profit him, seeing they can only be enjoyed during life? But if the words be applied to the soul, they show the difficulty - the necessity - and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24-28Verses 24-28 This discourse is also recorded in Mark 8:34-38; Mark 9:1; and Luke 9:23-27. Let him, deny himself - That is, let him surrender to God his will, his affections, his body, and his soul. Let him not seek his own happiness as the supreme object, but be willing to renounce all, and lay down his life also, if required. Take up his cross - See the notes at Matthew 10:38. Matthew 16:25 Whosoever will save his life … - See the notes at Matthew 10:39…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-28Verses 24-28 A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall follow him to glory. He is one that walks in the same way Christ walked in, is led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoever he goes. "Let him deny himself." If self-denial be a hard lesson, it is no more than what our Master learned and practised, to redeem us, and to teach us. "Let him take up his cross." The cross is here put for every trouble that befalls…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26His soul: "Soul" and "life" (Matthew 16:25) both translate the same Greek word psuchē. It refers to the essence or being of a person—the self.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul--or forfeit his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?--Instead of these weighty words, which we find in Mr 8:36 also, it is thus expressed in Lu 9:25: "If he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away," or better, "If he gain the whole world, and destroy or forfeit himself." How awful is the stake as here set forth! If a man makes…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 16:26

• Ambition
• Covetousness
• Immortality
• Jesus, the Christ
• Life
• Reward
• Wicked (People)
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Bind
• Blood
• Gain
• Gate
• Hell
• Leaven
• Loose
• Man
• Profited

Commentaries on Matthew 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings