Mark 8:36

Mark 8:36 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
• New International Version (NIV)What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
• English Standard Version (ESV)For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
• New King James Version (NKJV)For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Context of Mark 8:36

34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Mark 8:36 word by word

τί γὰρ ὠφελεῖ ἄνθρωπον κερδῆσαι τὸν κόσμον ὅλον καὶ ζημιωθῆναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ;Read the interlinear

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• shall it profitὠφελέωōpheleō · to helpG5623
• a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• he shall gainκερδαίνωkerdainō · to gainG2770
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• theκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• loseζημιόωzēmioō · to loseG2210
• his ownαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• soulψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590

Cross-references for Mark 8:36

• Job 2:4And Satan answered Yhwh, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
• Psalms 49:17For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
• Psalms 73:18Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
• Matthew 4:8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
• Matthew 16:26For 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?
• Luke 9:25For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
• Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
• Luke 16:19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
• Philippians 3:7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
• Revelation 18:7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
• Job 22:2Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
• Malachi 3:14Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before Yhwh of Armies?
• Romans 6:21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
• Hebrews 11:24By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
• James 1:9Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

Commentaries on Mark 8:36

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27-38Verses 27-38 See this passage illustrated in the notes at Mark 8:32 He spake that saying openly - With boldness or confidence, or without parables or figures, so that there could be no possibility of misunderstanding him. Mark 8:38 Ashamed of me - Ashamed to own attachment to me on account of my lowly appearance and my poverty. And of my words - My doctrines, my instructions. This adulterous and sinful generation - This age given to wickedness…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 34-38Verses 34-38 Frequent notice is taken of the great flocking there was to Christ for help in various cases. All are concerned to know this, if they expect him to heal their souls. They must not indulge the ease of the body. As the happiness of heaven with Christ, is enough to make up for the loss of life itself for him, so the gain of all the world in sin, will not make up for the ruin of the soul by sin. And there is a day coming, when the cause of Christ…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-37The implied answer to the rhetorical question Jesus asks is that possessing the entire world has no value if you give up eternal life. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose” (Jim Elliot). You need your soul to enjoy the benefits of the world to come. When you forfeit your life or soul, there is nothing you can give to purchase it back.Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 8:36

• Jesus, the Christ
• Wicked (People)
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Deeply
• Faint
• Sigh
• Forfeit
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Resurrection
• World, Cosmological

Commentaries on Mark 8

• 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