Matthew 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?
Word Reference
Original Word Definitions
τί
G5101 I-ASN
tis
an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
  • who, which, what
γὰρ
G1063 CONJ
gar
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
  • for
ὠφελεῖται
G5623
ōpheleō
to be useful, i.e., to benefit
  • to assist, to be useful or advantageous, to profit
ἄνθρωπος
G444 N-NSM
anthrōpos
man-faced, i.e., a human being
  • a human being, whether male or female
    • generically, to include all human individuals
    • "to distinguish man from beings of a different race or order
      • of animals and plants
      • "of from God and Christ"of the angels
      with the added notion of weakness, by which man is led into a mistake or prompted to sin"with the adjunct notion of contempt or disdainful pity"with reference to two fold nature of man, body and soul"with reference to the two fold nature of man, the corrupt and the truly Christian man, conformed to the nature of God"with reference to sex, a male
    indefinitely, someone, a man, one"in the plural, people"joined with other words, merchantman
ἐὰν
G1437 CONJ
ean
a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty
  • if, in case
τὸν
G3588 T-ASM
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
κόσμον
G2889 N-ASM
kosmos
orderly arrangement, i.e., decoration; by implication, the world (including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively (morally))
  • an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government
  • "ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e., the arrangement of the stars, 'the heavenly hosts', as the ornament of the heavens (see 1 Peter 3:3)"the world, the universe"the circle of the earth, the earth"the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race"the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ"world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly
    • the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ
ὅλον
G3650 A-ASM
holos
___%___whole___%___ or ___%___all___%___, i.e., complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb
  • all, whole, completely
κερδήσῃ
G2770 V-AAS-3S
kerdainō
to gain (literally or figuratively)
  • to gain, acquire, to get gain
  • "metaphorically
    • of gain arising from shunning or escaping from evil (where we say ___%___to spare one's self___%___, ___%___be spared___%___)
    • "to gain any one i.e., to win him over to the kingdom of God, to gain one to faith in Christ"to gain Christ's favor and fellowship
τὴν
G3588 T-ASF
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
δὲ
G1161 CONJ
de
but, and, etc
  • but, moreover, and, etc.
ψυχὴν
G5590 N-ASF
psychē
breath, i.e., (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew H5315, H7307 and H2416)
  • breath
    • the breath of life
      • the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing
        • of animals
        • "of men
      life"that in which there is life
      • a living being, a living soul
    the soul
    • the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)
    • "the (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life"the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body)
αὐτοῦ
G846 P-GSM
autos
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
  • himself, herself, themselves, itself
  • "he, she, it"the same
ζημιωθῇ
G2210 V-APS-3S
zēmioō
to injure, i.e., (reflexively or passively) to experience detriment
  • to affect with damage, do damage to
  • "to sustain damage, to receive injury, suffer loss
G2228 CONJ
ē
disjunctive, or; comparative, than
  • either, or, than
τί
G5101 I-ASN
tis
an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
  • who, which, what
δώσει
G1325 V-FAI-3S
didōmi
to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)
  • to give
  • "to give something to someone
    • of one's own accord to give one something, to his advantage
      • to bestow a gift
      to grant, give to one asking, let have"to supply, furnish, necessary things"to give over, deliver
      • to reach out, extend, present
      • "of a writing"to give over to one's care, entrust, commit
        • something to be administered
        • "to give or commit to some one something to be religiously observed
      to give what is due or obligatory, to pay: wages or reward"to furnish, endue
    to give
    • to cause, profuse, give forth from one's self
      • to give, hand out lots
      to appoint to an office"to give one to someone as his own
      • as an object of his saving care
      • "to give one to someone, to follow him as a leader and master"to give one to someone to care for his interests"to give one to someone to whom he already belonged, to return
    to grant or permit one
    • to commission
ἄνθρωπος
G444 N-NSM
anthrōpos
man-faced, i.e., a human being
  • a human being, whether male or female
    • generically, to include all human individuals
    • "to distinguish man from beings of a different race or order
      • of animals and plants
      • "of from God and Christ"of the angels
      with the added notion of weakness, by which man is led into a mistake or prompted to sin"with the adjunct notion of contempt or disdainful pity"with reference to two fold nature of man, body and soul"with reference to the two fold nature of man, the corrupt and the truly Christian man, conformed to the nature of God"with reference to sex, a male
    indefinitely, someone, a man, one"in the plural, people"joined with other words, merchantman
ἀντάλλαγμα
G465 N-ASN
antallagma
an equivalent or ransom
  • that which is given in place of another thing by way of exchange
  • "what is given either in order to keep or to acquire anything
τῆς
G3588 T-GSF
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
ψυχῆς
G5590 N-GSF
psychē
breath, i.e., (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew H5315, H7307 and H2416)
  • breath
    • the breath of life
      • the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing
        • of animals
        • "of men
      life"that in which there is life
      • a living being, a living soul
    the soul
    • the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)
    • "the (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life"the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body)
αὐτοῦ
G846 P-GSM
autos
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
  • himself, herself, themselves, itself
  • "he, she, it"the same

τί γὰρ ὠφελεῖται ἄνθρωπος ἐὰν τὸν κόσμον ὅλον κερδήσῃ τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ζημιωθῇ ἢ τί δώσει ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ
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?
Cross References

Mark 8:36

τί γὰρ ὠφελήσει ἄνθρωπον ἐὰν κερδήσῃ τὸν κόσμον ὅλον καὶ ζημιωθῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ
36
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Job 27:8

כִּי מַה-תִּקְוַת חָנֵף כִּי יִבְצָע כִּי יֵשֶׁל אֱלוֹהַּ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
8
For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

Luke 9:25

τί γὰρ ὠφελεῖται ἄνθρωπος κερδήσας τὸν κόσμον ὅλον ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἀπολέσας ζημιωθείς
25
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

Luke 12:20

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ θεός Ἄφρων ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τὴν ψυχήν σου ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ· δὲ ἡτοίμασας τίνι ἔσται
20
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Psalms 49:7

אָח לֹא-פָדֹה יִפְדֶּה אִישׁ לֹא-יִתֵּן לֵאלֹהִים כָּפְרֽוֹ׃
7
None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

Luke 16:25

εἶπεν δὲ Ἀβραάμ· Τέκνον μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες σὺ τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά· νῦν δὲ ὅδε παρακαλεῖται σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι
25
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Job 2:4

וַיַּעַן הַשָּׂטָן אֶת-יְהוָה וַיֹּאמַר עוֹר בְּעַד-עוֹר וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לָאִישׁ יִתֵּן בְּעַד נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
4
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

Matthew 5:29

εἰ δὲ ὀφθαλμός σου δεξιὸς σκανδαλίζει σε ἔξελε αὐτὸν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου βληθῇ εἰς γέενναν
29
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 4:8

Πάλιν παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν διάβολος εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν καὶ δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν
8
Again, the devil taketh up him into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;