What does κερδαίνω (kerdaínō) mean in the Bible?
Κερδαίνω means to gain, profit, win, or avoid a loss. Jesus uses commercial language to expose a fatal exchange: gaining the whole world cannot compensate for forfeiting one's life.
Greek · G2770
κερδαίνω
To gain (literally or figuratively)
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κερδαίνω G2770
Pronunciation kerdaínō
What does κερδαίνω (kerdaínō) mean in the Bible?
Κερδαίνω means to gain, profit, win, or avoid a loss. Jesus uses commercial language to expose a fatal exchange: gaining the whole world cannot compensate for forfeiting one's life.
Reader summary
Full entry for κερδαίνω (G2770) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2770?
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include win (5), gained (2), I have gained (2), to gain (2), [you would have averted] (1).
Where does κερδαίνω (kerdaínō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 16:26. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (6), 1 Corinthians (5), 1 Peter (1), Acts (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Κερδαίνω means to gain, profit, win, or avoid a loss. Jesus uses commercial language to expose a fatal exchange: gaining the whole world cannot compensate for forfeiting one's life. The Synoptic parallels make the same judgment within the call to deny oneself, take up the cross, and follow Him. Paul can use the verb missionally when he makes himself a servant to all in order to win more people, not to himself but to the gospel.
Acts 27 uses the gain-loss idea in an ordinary assessment of disaster that could have been avoided. The verb does not make numerical success the measure of ministry and does not condemn all material gain. It asks what is gained, what is surrendered, and whether the supposed profit survives before God.
How the Bible Uses It
Κερδαίνω names gain or profit, but Jesus and Paul radically test the account. The world is no gain at the cost of life, while gospel service seeks to win people for Christ.
- Matt.16.26
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Jesus' question exposes the impossibility of compensating for a forfeited life, within the summons to cross-bearing discipleship.
- Mark.8.36
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Mark's parallel preserves the same absolute contrast between possessing the world and losing oneself before God.
- Luke.9.25
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self?
Luke places the saying beside daily cross-bearing and refusing shame toward Jesus and His words.
- Acts.27.21
After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss.
Paul's nautical warning uses gain and loss in an ordinary prudential sense concerning an avoidable voyage disaster.
- 1Cor.9.19
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
Paul relinquishes rights and adapts across cultures to win people, while remaining under Christ's law and preserving the gospel's integrity.
Book contextCanonical parallelPassage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It win 5× 1 Corinthians 9:19, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 1 Corinthians 9:21, 1 Corinthians 9:22
gained 2× Matthew 25:16, Matthew 25:17
I have gained 2× Matthew 25:20, Matthew 25:22
to gain 2× Mark 8:36, Luke 9:25
[you would have averted] 1× Acts 27:21
he gains 1× Matthew 16:26
I may gain 1× Philippians 3:8
make a profit 1× James 4:13
they will be won over 1× 1 Peter 3:1
you have won 1× Matthew 18:15
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 16:26 κερδήσῃ to he gains Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 18:15 ἐκέρδησας to you have won Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 25:16 ἐκέρδησεν to gained Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 25:17 ἐκέρδησεν to gained Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 25:20 ἐκέρδησα to I have gained Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular Matthew 25:22 ἐκέρδησα to I have gained Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular Mark 8:36 κερδῆσαι to to gain Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Luke 9:25 κερδήσας to to gain Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Acts 27:21 κερδῆσαί to [you would have averted] Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 1 Corinthians 9:19 κερδήσω to win Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 16:26
Aligned rows 17
Books represented 8
Matthew 6 Mark 1 Luke 1 Acts 1 1 Corinthians 5 Philippians 1 James 1 1 Peter 1
Source forms
κερδήσω 5x kerdēsō 1 Corinthians 9:19, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 1 Corinthians 9:22, Philippians 3:8
ἐκέρδησα 2x ekerdēsa Matthew 25:20, Matthew 25:22
ἐκέρδησεν 2x ekerdēsen Matthew 25:16, Matthew 25:17
ἐκέρδησας 1x ekerdēsas Matthew 18:15
κερδάνω 1x kerdanō 1 Corinthians 9:21
κερδηθήσονται 1x kerdēthēsontai 1 Peter 3:1
κερδῆσαι 1x kerdēsai Mark 8:36
κερδῆσαί 1x kerdēsai Acts 27:21
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular 6x 1 Corinthians 9:19, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 1 Corinthians 9:21, 1 Corinthians 9:22
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 2x Matthew 25:20, Matthew 25:22
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x Matthew 25:16, Matthew 25:17
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 2x Mark 8:36, Acts 27:21
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular 1x Matthew 18:15
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Luke 9:25
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Matthew 16:26
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 1x James 4:13
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not call an outcome gain until the passage's stated cost and final horizon have been considered.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not use “winning people” to justify manipulation, compromised truth, or treating converts as ministry statistics.
- Do not claim that κερδαίνω condemns every form of material profit; the moral question depends on object, cost, and lordship.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Gain material profit, but metaphorically win souls or save oneself from harm through spiritual values.
Strong's G2770
Lexical occurrences 17 verses Greek text appearances 16 times Word forms 4 forms 17 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Matthew 16:26 Source Gloss
to gain (literally or figuratively)
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Gain material profit, but metaphorically win souls or save oneself from harm through spiritual values.
[in Sm.: Job.22:3 * ;] to gain: with accusative, Mat.25:16-17, 20 25:22; τ. κόσμον, Mat.16:26, Mrk.8:36, Luk.9:25; absol., to make profit, get gain: Jas.4:13. Metaphorical, with accusative of thing(s), to save oneself from, avoid: Act.27:21 (Field, Notes, 145); with accusative of person(s), to gain, win: Mat.18:15, 1Co.9:19-22, Php.3:8; pass., 1Pe.3:1.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 16:26 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
κερδήσῃ, kerdhsh
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse Matthew 18:15 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέρδησας ekerdhsav
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse Matthew 25:17 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέρδησε ekerdhsen
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse Matthew 25:20 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέρδησα ekerdhsa
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse Matthew 25:22 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέρδησα ekerdhsa
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse Mark 8:36 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
κερδήσῃ kerdhsh
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse Luke 9:25 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
κερδήσας kerdhsav
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse Acts 27:21 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
κερδῆσαί kerdhsai
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse 1 Corinthians 9:19 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
κερδήσω. kerdhsw
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse 1 Corinthians 9:20 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
κερδήσω· kerdhsw
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse 1 Corinthians 9:20 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
κερδήσω· kerdhsw
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse 1 Corinthians 9:21 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
κερδήσω kerdhsw
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse 1 Corinthians 9:22 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
κερδήσω. kerdhsw
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse Philippians 3:8 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
κερδήσω, kerdhsw
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse James 4:13 Verb First Person Plural Future Active Indicative
κερδήσομεν· kerdhsomen
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verse 1 Peter 3:1 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Passive Subjunctive
κερδηθήσωνται, kerdhqhswntai
I gain, win, avoid loss
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 17 Tenses Aorist, Future Voices Active, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 7×
Aorist Active 1 Cor 9:19 · 1 Cor 9:20 · 1 Cor 9:21 · 1 Cor 9:22 · Phil 3:8 · Matt 16:26 7×
Indicative states a fact or reality 7×
Aorist Active Matt 25:16 · Matt 25:17 · Matt 25:20 · Matt 25:22 · Matt 18:15 5×
Future Active Jas 4:13 1×
Future Passive 1 Pet 3:1 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Aorist Active Mark 8:36 · Acts 27:21 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Aorist Active Luke 9:25 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 17 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 15 future 2
Voice
active 16 passive 1
Mood
subjunctive 7 indicative 7 infinitive 2 participle 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 16:26 κερδήσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 18:15 ἐκέρδησας aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:16 ἐκέρδησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:17 ἐκέρδησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:20 ἐκέρδησα aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:22 ἐκέρδησα aorist active indicative completed Mark 8:36 κερδῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 9:25 κερδήσας aorist active participle participle Acts 27:21 κερδῆσαί aorist active infinitive infinitive 1 Corinthians 9:19 κερδήσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 9:20 κερδήσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 9:20 κερδήσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 9:21 κερδάνω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 9:22 κερδήσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Philippians 3:8 κερδήσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive James 4:13 κερδήσομεν future active indicative prospective 1 Peter 3:1 κερδηθήσονται future passive indicative prospective
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
to acquire or profit from the whole world materially
to win over or convert persons through accommodation and ministry
to win back or recover a brother through private reproof
to win over or convert a spouse through conduct and example
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 17 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
κερδαίνω is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
The language of profit forces a reckoning. A person may accumulate the world's goods and still lose what no possession can repurchase. Jesus places this warning beside His own path to the cross and the disciple's call to follow, so eternal gain cannot be separated from allegiance to Him. Paul uses the verb differently but consistently when he surrenders rights to win people through the gospel.
The people are not trophies for Paul's platform; his flexibility serves their salvation while remaining bounded by Christ's law. Churches should therefore question metrics that baptize growth, money, visibility, or cultural influence as gain. Faithful ministry may accept real sacrifice, and prudent action may prevent ordinary loss, but the ultimate account belongs to Christ.
What looks costly can serve eternal good, while impressive success can conceal spiritual forfeiture.
Anchor passage
Matt.16.26
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 16:24-27, cross-bearing, gaining the world, and final recompense
- 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, surrendering rights to win people
- Philippians 3:7-11, former gains counted loss for Christ
- Proverbs 11:4, riches failing in the day of wrath
- Isaiah 55:1-3, receiving life that cannot be purchased
- Luke 12:13-21, earthly accumulation and poverty toward God
Κερδαίνω belongs to the vocabulary of gain and profit and can be used transitively for gaining something or someone. Figurative uses preserve the logic of advantage and loss while the object identifies material, relational, missional, or eternal gain.
From Old to New Testament
Wisdom warns that wealth cannot deliver from death, and the prophets invite the needy to receive God's life freely. Jesus exposes the world's false accounting, while Paul counts former gains loss and spends himself to bring people the gospel.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain