Verse
Mark 8:36 — For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and…
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
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Read it in context
The verses around 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.
36For 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.
Verse explanation
The rhetorical question compares two kinds of gain on opposite scales: the whole world on one side, one's own self on the other, a way of showing that no outward achievement makes up for that loss.
From the Mark 8 study in Bible in Stories.
Mark 8:36 in other versions
The same verse in the 4 Bible versions we have on the site.
- KJV · King James
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Read the chapter in this version → - ARC · Almeida 1911Português
Pois que aproveitaria ao homem, se ganhasse todo o mundo e perdesse a sua alma?
Read the chapter in this version → - BLIVRE · Bíblia LivrePortuguês
Pois que proveito teria alguém, se ganhasse o mundo todo, e perdesse a sua alma?
Read the chapter in this version → - VBL · Versión Biblia LibreEspañol
¿De qué le servirá a alguien ganar todo en el mundo, y perder su vida?
Read the chapter in this version →
In other languages: Português (Marcos 8:36) · Español (Marcos 8:36)
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