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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus frames this not just as a choice between worldly gain and spiritual loss, but as an impossible transaction; there is simply nothing that can be exchanged for a lost soul. He uses the aorist tense to look back on a life's outcome, highlighting that the final accounting of gain and loss is what truly matters.
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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Immediately after Peter's rebuke for suggesting Jesus avoid suffering, Jesus presses the disciples on the cost of discipleship. He explains that following him means self-denial and carrying a cross, contrasting saving one's earthly life with losing it for his sake, and vice-versa. This sets up the stark question of what true profit or loss looks like when weighed against eternal reality.
Imagine winning the lottery, but then losing your ability to ever enjoy it. That's the kind of loss Jesus is talking about.
Jesus uses a stark rhetorical question here to highlight the absolute, irreversible nature of losing one's soul. The Greek words translated as 'gain' and 'lose' are in a past tense, suggesting Jesus is looking at the final outcome of a life.
What's the price tag on your eternal destiny? Jesus makes it clear: nothing you possess or can acquire is enough.
The second part of Jesus' question drives home the irreplaceable value of the soul. He asks, 'Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?' This points to the impossibility of finding a substitute or a price to buy back what has been lost.
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Understand the original words
ōpheleō · Greek Verb
Refers to an advantage, gain, or benefit; in a spiritual context, it contrasts earthly accumulation with eternal spiritual condition.
kosmos · Greek Noun
The state of living in the material cosmos, often associated with worldly system, temporal wealth, and values that are alienated from God.
zēmioō · Greek Verb
To suffer the loss of, to lose out, or to be penalized, often implying the finality of spiritual ruin or condemnation.
psychē · Greek Noun
The inner life of a person, the essential self, or the immortal spirit that is destined for eternal existence beyond physical death.
This teaching immediately follows Jesus' prediction of his own suffering and death, framing the immense value of the soul against the backdrop of his sacrificial mission.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples, proclaiming the coming Kingdom of God.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Predicts His Suffering
After Peter's confession, Jesus begins to reveal that he must suffer, be rejected, die, and rise again, a message that deeply troubles his disciples.
c. AD 30
Jesus Teaches Discipleship
Jesus instructs his followers on the cost of discipleship, emphasizing self-denial, cross-bearing, and the paradox of losing one's life to save it.
c. AD 30
The Value of the Soul
In this context, Jesus poses the rhetorical questions about the ultimate worth of a soul compared to worldly gain, highlighting the eternal perspective.
This passage directly parallels the idea of sacrificing possessions (skin for skin) for the sake of life, highlighting the immense value humans place on their physical existence, which Jesus then contrasts with the even greater value of the soul.
Luke 12:15Jesus warns against covetousness by stating that one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, echoing the theme that worldly gain is ultimately insufficient and can distract from what truly matters.
Mark 8:36-37This is the parallel account in Mark, where Jesus asks the same rhetorical questions, emphasizing that no worldly gain can ever be exchanged for the eternal well-being of one's soul.
Ecclesiastes 5:10This Old Testament passage speaks to the futility of loving money and riches, noting that no amount of wealth can satisfy, resonating with Jesus' point that even 'the whole world' is ultimately worthless if it costs one's soul.
1 Timothy 6:7This verse states that we brought nothing into the world and can take nothing out, directly supporting the idea that worldly possessions are temporary and cannot be 'exchanged' for eternal value.
vincentMatthew 16:26: "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?"
Gain - lose (κερδήσῃ - ζημιωθῇ)Note that both words are in the past (aorist) tense: "if he may have gained or lost. The Lord looks back to the details of each life as the factors of the final sum of gain or loss. For lose, Rev. gives forfeit. The verb in the active voice means to cause loss or damage. Often in the classics, of fining or mul…
barnesMatthew 16:26: "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?"
For what is a man profited ... - To gain the whole world means to possess it as our own - all its riches, its honors, and its pleasures. "To lose his own soul" means to be cast away, to be shut out from heaven, to be sent to hell. Two things are implied by Christ in these questions: 1. That they who are striving to gain the world, and are unwil…
Jesus frames this not just as a choice between worldly gain and spiritual loss, but as an impossible transaction; there is simply nothing that can be exchanged for a lost soul. He uses the aorist tense to look back on a life's outcome, highlighting that the final accounting of gain and loss is what truly matters.
Immediately after Peter's rebuke for suggesting Jesus avoid suffering, Jesus presses the disciples on the cost of discipleship. He explains that following him means self-denial and carrying a cross, contrasting saving one's earthly life with losing it for his sake, and vice-versa. This sets up the stark question of what true profit or loss looks like when weighed against eternal reality.
Immediately after Peter's rebuke for suggesting Jesus avoid suffering, Jesus presses the disciples on the cost of discipleship. He explains that following him means self-denial and carrying a cross, contrasting saving one's earthly life with losing it for his sake, and vice-versa. This sets up the stark question of what true profit or loss looks like when weighed against eternal reality.
"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?" — Jesus frames this not just as a choice between worldly gain and spiritual loss, but as an impossible transaction; there is simply nothing that can be exchanged for a lost soul. He uses the aorist t…
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Last reviewed October 2026