Mark 8:35-38

8:35 For whoever wants to save his life ¹  will lose it, ²  but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it. 8:36 For what benefit is it for a person ³  to gain the whole world, yet ⁴  forfeit his life? 8:37 What can a person give in exchange for his life? 8:38 For if anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him ⁵  when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

¹ tn Or “soul” (throughout vv. 35-37).

² sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.

³ tn Grk “a man,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here to refer to both men and women.

⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁵ sn How one responds now to Jesus and his teaching is a reflection of how Jesus, as the Son of Man who judges, will respond then in the final judgment.