soul

The Hebrew, Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “soul” in English is translated in Chol with a term that refers to the invisible aspects of human beings (source: Robert Bascom), in Yagaria with oune or “shadow, reflection” (source: Renck, p. 81), and in Elhomwe as “heart” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

The Mandarin Chinese línghún (靈魂 / 灵魂), literally “spirit-soul,” is often used for “soul” (along with xīn [心] or “heart”). This is a term that was adopted from Buddhist sources into early Catholic writings and later also by Protestant translators. (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 32, see also Clara Ho-yan Chan in this article )

In Chichewa, moyo means both “soul” and “life.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also heart, soul, mind.

world (Chinese)

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “world” in English is translated in Mandarin Chinese with shìjiè (世界). While shìjiè is now the commonly used term for “world” in Chinese, it was popularized as such by Chinese Bible translations. (Source: Mak 2017, p. 241ff.)

See also world.

complete verse (Matthew 16:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 16:26:

  • Uma: “What is the use we (incl.) gather all the riches of the world, if we (incl.) do not receive good life in the future. For there is nothing that we (incl.) may exchange for that good life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For a person, even if he owned all the wealth in the world, there would be no use in it if he does not have everlasting life. For there is no wealth in the world that can redeem him so that he has everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Even if a person comes to own the whole world, it is worthless for him if he is not given life forever. For there is nothing which he can exchange so that he will be able to own life forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because what do-you-suppose will a person be-able-to-gain if he comes-to-own the entire world and then his life is lost and he is punished for ever? None! Because there is nothing that a person can give-in-exchange for his life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For what does a person gain, even supposing all the wealth here in the world would be his, if his soul/spirit will be lost-permanently because it will have to go there to hardship/suffering which is without ending? Of course there’s nothing he can do which could free him from there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because the person will not gain anything even though he becomes the owner of all the world and then loses his soul. No matter how much money he will pay, yet he is not able to save his soul.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “What good is it if the whole world lies at your feet, but you have to pay for it with your heart? What is more precious than one’s heart?”
  • Imbabura Highland Quichua: “‘Suppose a man were to get and have all whatever there is in this world. Although it is thus, if he went and lost his soul, what good would it be? . . . ‘” (Source: S. Levinsohn in Journal of Translation 18/2022, p. 67ff. )

Translation commentary on Matthew 16:26

For what will it profit … and forfeits his life? is a rhetorical question which expects the answer “Nothing.” Therefore Good News Translation restructures the question, “Will a person gain anything if he wins the whole world but loses his life?” and follows it with the answer “Of course not!” In other languages it may be necessary to say “For a person certainly won’t gain anything at all if he wins the whole world but loses his life” or “For it is certainly of no value if, in winning the whole world, a person loses his life.” In some languages “obtain” may be better than “win.”

Man, as with “any man” in verse 24, refers to people in general, and so is equivalent to “person” (Good News Translation).

Or what shall a man give in return for his life? is also a rhetorical question which expects the answer “Nothing.” This time Good News Translation restructures it as a statement: “There is nothing he can give to regain his life.” Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation seem to interpret life of this sentence as a person’s physical life here on earth, an interpretation which is apparently supported by New American Bible: “What profit would a man show if he were to gain the whole world and destroy himself in the process? What can a man offer in exchange for his very self?” New English Bible seems to have a more psychological understanding: “What will a man gain by winning the whole world, at the cost of his true self? Or what can he give that will buy that self back?” However, it is more probable that the reference is to eternal life, which would be the basis for Moffatt‘s shift from “life” in verse 25 to “soul” in this verse: “What profit will it be if a man gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul?” New International Version makes this same shift.

Many translators will use the same expression for life as they did in the previous verse, such as “true life” or “life that does not end.”

For a person to gain the whole world does not mean to rule the world. It means to have “everything in the world,” or possibly “everything he wants.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 16:26



16:26a–b

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus asked this question to emphasize something that everyone should know is true. If someone gets the world’s riches but cannot live forever with God, it is worth nothing.

Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? (New Living Translation (2004))

• As a question with the response supplied. For example:

Will you gain anything if you own the whole world but lose your life ⌊with God⌋? Of course not!

• As a statement. For example:

It is worth nothing for them to have the whole world if they lose their souls. (New Century Version)

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

16:26a

The Greek conjunction that begins this verse is left untranslated in the Berean Standard Bible, but many English versions translate it as “For.” It introduces another basis for Jesus’ statement in 16:24. There he says that a disciple must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Jesus (16:24). Here he says that that is true for/because he will not profit from gaining the entire world (16:26).

The only thing of true value is eternal life. Jesus gives eternal life to those who follow him.

Here are some other ways to translate this conjunction:

Because
-or-
Let me further explain

Some English versions, such as the Berean Standard Bible, do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either.

What will it profit a man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as profit means “benefit,” “help,” or “be of use to.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

what do you benefit (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
What good will it do for people (God’s Word)
-or-
what use/help will it be for a person

a man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as man refers to a human being. It does not just refer to a male.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

a person (NET Bible)
-or-
people (God’s Word)

he gains the whole world: This phrase refers to owning the entire world and everything in it. This is a hyperbole. It refers to being very successful in earning money and obtaining material things.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

own the whole world (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
possesses/acquires everything in the world
-or-
becomes the richest person in the world

16:26b

forfeits his soul: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as forfeits means “loses.”

There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as soul:

(1) It refers to a person’s soul. It is the part of a person that lives even after his body dies. So the phrase “forfeits/loses his soul” is a figurative of speech that means “dies spiritually.” It refers to “losing eternal life” or “losing his life in heaven.” For example:

they lose their souls (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible)

(2) It refers to a person’s life (on earth). So the phrase “forfeits/loses his life” is a figure of speech that means “dies physically.” For example:

lose their lives (God’s Word)

(Good News Translation, NET Bible, Revised Standard Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). In 16:25, Jesus moved from talking about physical life to talking about spiritual life. Here in 16:26, he continued to talk about spiritual life.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

loses his life ⌊with God⌋
-or-
fails to get ⌊eternal⌋ life
-or-
does not get/receive life ⌊that has no end⌋

General Comment on 16:26a–b

In some language, it will be more natural to change the order of some of the clauses in 16:26a–b. For example:

If a man gains the whole world but loses his own soul, it there any profit in that?
-or-
If a man owns the entire world but does not get eternal life, there is no benefit.

16:26c

Or: Here the word Or introduces a rhetorical question that says something similar to the rhetorical question in 16:25a–b. This rhetorical question is another way to make a similar point as the first one.

Normally the word “or” links two things, and only one of them is correct/preferred. Or the listener is supposed to choose one of them. For example, “Did he go to Jerusalem or Bethlehem?” However, in this verse, Or is not used in that way. The response to both questions is “No” or “Nothing.”

Here is another way to introduce this second rhetorical question:

Or ⌊to say/ask it another way⌋

Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, a conjunction will not be necessary here either.

what can a man give in exchange for his soul?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus asked this question to emphasize that nothing can buy true life with God. There is nothing that a person can give to God that would be a fair trade for his life.

Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

what can a person give in exchange for his life? (NET Bible)

• As a question with the response supplied. For example:

Is there anything that a person can give ⌊to God⌋ so that ⌊God⌋ gives him eternal life in return? ⌊No!⌋

• As a statement. For example:

It is ⌊certainly⌋ impossible for a person to pay ⌊God⌋ enough so that ⌊God⌋ will give him eternal life.

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

give in exchange for his soul: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as give in exchange refers to the way people traded things before there was money. They traded/exchanged one thing for something else of equal value.

Here, Jesus said that nothing has enough value to be an equal trade for eternal life. That is even true if you had all the riches of the world. No one is able to pay enough to buy true life.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

there is nothing a person can give in trade for his life ⌊with God⌋
-or-
What can a person trade/exchange to get ⌊eternal⌋ life?

-or-

Can a person pay enough money to buy his life ⌊in heaven⌋?

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