Meaning, commentary and cross references
Mark 8:36
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
NIV · New International Version
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
WEB · World English Bible
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
What does Mark 8:36 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Mark 8:36
For what shall it profit a man,.... In the long run, in the issue of things, who by denying Christ, and his Gospel, may not only save his life for the present, but procure for himself great riches and wealth: if he shall gain the whole world; were that possible to be done, and which the ambitious, worldly man is desirous of; yet supposing he: had his desire, of what avail would this be in the upshot of things, should the following be his case, as it will, and lose his own soul? which is immortal and everlasting, when the world, and the glory of it pass away, and so is of more worth than the whole world. The world can only be enjoyed for a season, and that with a great deal of fatigue and…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Mark 8:27–38
(2.) We must dread the loss of our souls, yea, though we should gain the whole world by it (Mar 8:36, Mar 8:37); For what shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, and all the wealth, honour, and pleasure, in it, by denying Christ, and lose his own soul? "True it is," said Bishop Hooper, the night before he suffered martyrdom, "that life is sweet, and death is bitter, but eternal death is more bitter, and eternal life is more sweet." As the happiness of heaven with Christ, is enough to countervail the loss of life itself for Christ, so the gain of all the world in sin, is not sufficient to countervail the ruin of the soul by sin.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Mark 8:30–37
For what doth it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give, that, in exchange for it, he may redeem his soul? 27. For the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every one according to his actions. 28. Verily I say to you, There are some standing here, who will not taste death till they have seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom. 30. And he threatened, and forbade them to tell any one concerning him. [454] 31.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Mark 8:33–38 (WEB)
33But he, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.” 34He called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. 36For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? 37For what will a man give in exchange for his life? 38For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Cross references
- Matthew 16:26
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?
- Luke 9:25
For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?
- Psalms 49:17
- James 1:9–11
Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;
- Philippians 3:7–9
However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.
- Luke 12:19–20
I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”’
- Hebrews 11:24–26
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
- Romans 6:21
What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.