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, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his 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 5:29So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, 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.
• Job 2:4Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life.
• Mark 8:36And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?
• Luke 9:25And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?
• Matthew 4:8Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
• Job 27:8For what hope do the godless have when God cuts them off and takes away their life?
• Luke 12:20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
• Luke 16:25“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.
• Psalms 49:7Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.
• Mark 8:37Is anything worth more than your soul?

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