Mark 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.

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

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life.

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

Whoever has a desire to keep his life, will have it taken from him; and whoever gives up his life because of me and the good news, will keep it.

For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

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.

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.