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Selected Verse: Matthew 16:26 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Mt 16:26 |
Strong Concordance |
For [1063] what [5101] is a man [444] profited [5623], if [1437] he shall gain [2770] the whole [3650] world [2889], and [1161] lose [2210] his own [846] soul [5590]? or [2228] what [5101] shall a man [444] give [1325] in exchange [465] for his [846] soul [5590]? |
|
King James |
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? |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
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 Mar 8:36 also, it is thus expressed in Luk 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 the present world--in its various forms of riches, honors, pleasures, and such like--the object of supreme pursuit, be it that he gains the world; yet along with it he forfeits his own soul. Not that any ever did, or ever will gain the whole world--a very small portion of it, indeed, falls to the lot of the most successful of the world's votaries--but to make the extravagant concession, that by giving himself entirely up to it, a man gains the whole world; yet, setting over against this gain the forfeiture of his soul--necessarily following the surrender of his whole heart to the world--what is he profited? But, if not the whole world, yet possibly something else may be conceived as an equivalent for the soul. Well, what is it?--"Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Thus, in language the weightiest, because the simplest, does our Lord shut up His hearers, and all who shall read these words to the end of the world, to the priceless value to every man of his own soul. In Mark and Luke (Mar 8:38; Luk 9:26) the following words are added: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words [shall be ashamed of belonging to Me, and ashamed of My Gospel] in this adulterous and sinful generation" (see on Mat 12:39), "of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when He cometh in the glory of His Father, with the holy angels." He will render back to that man his own treatment, disowning him before the most august of all assemblies, and putting him to "shame and everlasting contempt" (Dan 12:2). "O shame," exclaims BENGEL, "to be put to shame before God, Christ, and angels!" The sense of shame is founded on our love of reputation, which causes instinctive aversion to what is fitted to lower it, and was given us as a preservative from all that is properly shameful. To be lost to shame is to be nearly past hope. (Zep 3:5; Jer 6:15; Jer 3:3). But when Christ and "His words" are unpopular, the same instinctive desire to stand well with others begets that temptation to be ashamed of Him which only the expulsive power of a higher affection can effectually counteract. |
The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
world
Greek, "kosmos", means "world-system". (Joh 7:7).
(See Scofield) - (Rev 13:8). |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
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 mulcting in a sum of money. Compare Co2 7:9.
Soul (ψυχὴν)
Rev., life, with soul in margin. This will be specially considered in the discussion of the psychological terms in the Epistles.
In exchange (ἀντάλλαγμα)
Lit., as an exchange. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Lose his own soul - Or, lose his life, την ψυχην αυτου. On what authority many have translated the word ψυχη, 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 importance of salvation. The world, the devil, and a man's own heart are opposed to his salvation; therefore it is difficult. The soul was made for God, and can never be united to him, nor be happy, till saved from sin: therefore it is necessary. He who is saved from his sin, and united to God, possesses the utmost felicity that the human soul can enjoy, either in this or the coming world: therefore, this salvation is important. See also the note on Luk 9:25 (note). |
3 Therefore the showers [07241] have been withholden [04513], and there hath been no latter rain [04456]; and thou hadst a whore's [02181] [0802] forehead [04696], thou refusedst [03985] to be ashamed [03637].
15 Were they ashamed [03001] when they had committed [06213] abomination [08441]? nay [01571], they were not at all [0954] ashamed [0954], neither [01571] could [03045] they blush [03637]: therefore they shall fall [05307] among them that fall [05307]: at the time [06256] that I visit [06485] them they shall be cast down [03782], saith [0559] the LORD [03068].
5 The just [06662] LORD [03068] is in the midst [07130] thereof; he will not do [06213] iniquity [05766]: every [01242] morning [01242] doth he bring [05414] his judgment [04941] to light [0216], he faileth [05737] not; but the unjust [05767] knoweth [03045] no shame [01322].
2 And many [07227] of them that sleep [03463] in the dust [06083] of the earth [0127] shall awake [06974], some to everlasting [05769] life [02416], and some to shame [02781] and everlasting [05769] contempt [01860].
39 But [1161] he answered [611] and said [2036] unto them [846], An evil [4190] and [2532] adulterous [3428] generation [1074] seeketh after [1934] a sign [4592]; and [2532] there shall no [3756] sign [4592] be given [1325] to it [846], but [1508] the sign [4592] of the prophet [4396] Jonas [2495]:
26 For [1063] whosoever [3739] [302] shall be ashamed [1870] of me [3165] and [2532] of my [1699] words [3056], of him [5126] shall [1870] the Son [5207] of man [444] be ashamed [1870], when [3752] he shall come [2064] in [1722] his own [846] glory [1391], and [2532] in his Father's [3962], and [2532] of the holy [40] angels [32].
38 Whosoever [3739] [302] therefore [1063] shall be ashamed [1870] of me [3165] and [2532] of my [1699] words [3056] in [1722] this [5026] adulterous [3428] and [2532] sinful [268] generation [1074]; of him [846] also [2532] shall [1870] the Son [5207] of man [444] be ashamed [1870], when [3752] he cometh [2064] in [1722] the glory [1391] of his [846] Father [3962] with [3326] the holy [40] angels [32].
25 For [1063] what [5101] is [5623] a man [444] advantaged [5623], if he gain [2770] the whole [3650] world [2889], and [1161] lose [622] himself [1438], or [2228] be cast away [2210]?
36 For [1063] what [5101] shall it profit [5623] a man [444], if [1437] he shall gain [2770] the whole [3650] world [2889], and [2532] lose [2210] his own [846] soul [5590]?
8 And [2532] all [3956] that dwell [2730] upon [1909] the earth [1093] shall worship [4352] him [846], whose [3739] names [3686] are [1125] not [3756] written [1125] in [1722] the book [976] of life [2222] of the Lamb [721] slain [4969] from [575] the foundation [2602] of the world [2889].
7 The world [2889] cannot [3756] [1410] hate [3404] you [5209]; but [1161] me [1691] it hateth [3404], because [3754] I [1473] testify [3140] of [4012] it [846], that [3754] the works [2041] thereof [846] are [2076] evil [4190].
9 Now [3568] I rejoice [5463], not [3756] that [3754] ye were made sorry [3076], but [235] that [3754] ye sorrowed [3076] to [1519] repentance [3341]: for [1063] ye were made sorry [3076] after [2596] a godly manner [2316], that [2443] ye might receive damage [2210] by [1537] us [2257] in [1722] nothing [3367].
25 For [1063] what [5101] is [5623] a man [444] advantaged [5623], if he gain [2770] the whole [3650] world [2889], and [1161] lose [622] himself [1438], or [2228] be cast away [2210]?