Mark 8:35

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.

Mark 9:41

9:41 For I tell you the truth, ³  whoever gives you a cup of water because ⁴  you bear Christ’s ⁵  name will never lose his reward.

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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 “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

⁴ tn Grk “in [the] name that of Christ you are.”

⁵ tn Or “bear the Messiah’s”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

sn See the note on Christ in 8:29.