Matthew 10:39 Meaning and Explanation
“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Whoever clings to his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Christ's sake will find it.
What Does Matthew 10:39 Mean?
Jesus states the great paradox at the heart of discipleship. The one who finds and grasps his life will lose it, while the one who loses his life for Christ's sake will find it. The way to keep is to surrender; the way to gain is to give.
To clutch at life on one's own terms is to forfeit the life that truly is life. But the one who lets go, yielding himself wholly to Christ, discovers a life that cannot be lost. This is the logic of the cross applied to every day: what is held back perishes, and what is offered up is kept forever. The believer finds his truest self only by losing it in the One who gave himself first.
Matthew 10:39 in the Original Language
psuche (ψυχή), 'life' -- the soul or self, both the natural life and the deeper life of the person.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 10:39
What does Matthew 10:39 mean?
Whoever clings to his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Christ's sake will find it.