Matthew 18:8

Translations

Modern

If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

Traditional

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

Literal

Now if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you; it is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire.

Latin

Si autem manus tua, vel pes tuus scandalizat te, abscide eum, et projice abs te: bonum tibi est ad vitam ingredi debilem, vel claudum, quam duas manus vel duos pedes habentem mitti in ignem æternum.

Original

Greek

English

If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

Notes

Matthew 18:8–9

Jesus shifts his concern to the person. You must remove anything that leads you to sin (see Matthew 5:29–30; Colossians 3:5–17).

Matthew 18:1–35

This fourth major teaching in Matthew (see study note on Matthew 5:1–7:29) focuses on how people responded to the Messiah. The disciples accepted him, while the Jewish leaders and most people did not. As this division increased, Jesus taught his disciples about community life.

To follow the standards of Jesus, a community should live with:

humility (18:1–5),
sensitivity (18:6–9),
compassion (18:10–14),
discipline (18:15–18), and
forgiveness (18:21–35).

Like the other teachings, a closing statement (19:1–2) connects to the next section.

Theme notes and profiles

Remove the Evil

Events

Teachings on Humility/Temptation/Reconciliationc. AD 29

Related verses

Matthew 5:29–30
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Philippians 3:8–9
More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Luke 18:22–23
On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
Romans 13:12
The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
Luke 14:26–27
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
Revelation 20:15
And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Matthew 25:46
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Revelation 14:10
…he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
Deuteronomy 13:6–8
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
Matthew 25:41
Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling grips the ungodly: “Who of us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting flames?”

Matthew 18:8

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Events

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Glossary

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