κερδαίνω
kerdainō
to gain
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word κερδαίνω (kerdainō) is defined as "to gain." It is a verb that conveys the idea of acquiring or obtaining something, often implying a positive outcome. In its 17 occurrences in the Bible, κερδαίνω is used in various contexts, revealing its range of usage. This word is used in both secular and spiritual contexts. It is applied to financial gain as well as to other forms of achievement, indicating that κερδαίνω encompasses a broad spectrum of meanings. In the Bible, κερδαίνω is often associated with the pursuit of wealth and material possessions, but it also carries connotations of success, advantage, and benefit. This nuanced meaning suggests that the term κερδαίνω is not solely focused on material wealth, but rather can be seen as a more general notion of acquiring something valuable. The significance of κερδαίνω lies in its frequent pairing with other words that convey opposing ideas, such as "loss" or "losses." This juxtaposition highlights the idea that κερδαίνω can have different connotations depending on the context in which it is used. By examining the various instances of κερδαίνω in the Bible, readers can gain a deeper understanding of its complex meaning and its significance in both ancient and modern contexts.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
17 total occurrences across the text
For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?
Matthew 18:15“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
Matthew 25:16Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
Matthew 25:17In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.
Matthew 25:20He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.’
Matthew 25:22“He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’
Mark 8:36For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?
Luke 9:25For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?
Acts 27:21When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them, and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete and have gotten this injury and loss.
1 Corinthians 9:19For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
1 Corinthians 9:20To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;
1 Corinthians 9:20To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;
1 Corinthians 9:21to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.
1 Corinthians 9:22To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
Philippians 3:8Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ
James 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.”
1 Peter 3:1In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word,