Mark 8:35

35 For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.

Mark 8:35 in Other Translations

35 For 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.

35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.

35 Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self.

35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it.

Mark 8:35 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 8:35

For whosoever will save his life
Life is a valuable thing, and all that a man has he will give for it; self preservation is a principle in nature; and it becomes every man to take all lawful methods to save his life, when it is threatened, or is in danger: but whoever is willing to save it, when it is called for to be laid down for Christ's sake; and rather than lay it down, will deny Christ, and give up a profession of him, and his Gospel,

shall lose it:
he shall not enjoy it with honour and comfort now, and much less with peace, pleasure, and happiness hereafter, but shall be under the power of the second death:

but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's;
that is, shall willingly part with it when he is called to it, rather than deny Christ and his Gospel,

the same shall save it:
though he will lose it now, he will find it again in the resurrection of life; for he will rise to eternal life; when such, who have apostatized from Christ, will rise to shame, and everlasting contempt: this man will have greatly the advantage over such; they will die the second death, or be destroyed soul and body in hell; and he will live for ever with Christ, in endless pleasure and glory; (See Gill on Matthew 16:25).

Mark 8:35 In-Context

33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

35 For whoever wants to save their lifewill lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.

36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Cross References

• 1. S John 12:25

Footnotes

• [a]. The Greek word means either "life" or "soul" ; also in verses 36 and 37.