Matthew 18 8

Matthew 18:8 kjv

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.

Matthew 18:8 nkjv

"If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.

Matthew 18:8 niv

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

Matthew 18:8 esv

And 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 with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.

Matthew 18:8 nlt

So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet.

Matthew 18 verses

Matthew 18 8 Meaning

Matthew 18:8 emphasizes the critical necessity of radical self-purity and uncompromising action against any personal sin or temptation that leads one astray. Jesus teaches that it is infinitely more valuable to abandon anything, no matter how cherished or seemingly integral, that causes one to sin, rather than clinging to it and facing eternal condemnation. This verse is a hyperbole underscoring the severity of spiritual consequences over temporal convenience or comfort.

Matthew 18 8 Context

Matthew 18 opens with the disciples asking Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (v.1). Jesus responds by emphasizing humility, instructing them to become like little children (v.2-4). He then issues a stern warning against causing one of these "little ones" (believers) to stumble (v.5-7). Verse 8, along with its parallel in v.9, then shifts from the external act of causing others to stumble to the internal or personal responsibility for one's own spiritual purity. It serves as an extreme, hyperbolic call to radical personal sanctification, linking directly to the concept of avoiding anything that leads one into sin. The broader discourse continues with the parable of the lost sheep (v.12-14), which highlights God's immense value for each individual, and then moves into guidelines for church discipline (v.15-20), emphasizing the importance of spiritual integrity within the community. Historically, the phrase "eternal fire" (Greek: pyr aionion) would have evoked "Gehenna," a garbage incinerator and perpetual fire outside Jerusalem's walls, a known symbol of complete destruction and judgment in Jewish thought. The imagery of cutting off a body part would have been particularly shocking in a culture where physical wholeness was highly valued, underscoring the radical nature of Jesus' demand.

Matthew 18 8 Word analysis

• If: A conditional particle, introducing a hypothetical but urgent situation.
• your hand (ἡ χείρ σου - hē cheir sou): Symbolically represents actions, deeds, work, and personal involvement. Not a literal physical limb here, but the active parts of one's life.
• or your foot (ἢ ὁ πούς σου - ē ho pous sou): Symbolically represents one's path, walk, conduct, direction, or chosen way of life.
• causes you to stumble (σκανδαλίζει σε - skandalizei se): From skandalizō (σκανδαλίζω), meaning to cause to stumble, put a stumbling block in the way, tempt to sin, or lead into error. It refers to that which traps, offends, or trips one into spiritual falling or moral failure. Here, it is internal – the self-generated temptation or proclivity to sin.
• cut it off (ἀπόκοψον αὐτήν - apokopson autēn): From apokoptō (ἀποκόπτω), to cut off, amputate, hew off. Emphasizes decisive, radical action and severance. This is the figurative command for severe separation from the source of sin.
• and throw it away (καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ - kai bale apo sou): From ballō (βάλλω), to cast, throw away, dispose of. Reinforces the idea of total, irreversible discard. There is no second guessing or picking it back up.
• It is better for you to enter life (καλόν σοι ἐστὶν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωήν - kalon soi estin eiselthein eis tēn zōēn): Kalon (καλόν) means good, honorable, beneficial. Zōēn (ζωήν) refers to eternal life, spiritual life in fellowship with God, rather than mere physical existence.
• crippled (κυλλὸν - kyllon): Maimed, lame in a hand, halt, incapacitated.
• or lame (ἢ χωλόν - ē chōlon): Lame, crippled in a foot, hobbling. These words visually represent the result of the 'cutting off', showing the perceived loss but for an infinitely greater spiritual gain. They denote the state of spiritual deficiency from past sinful practices, but a saved soul.
• than to have two hands or two feet (ἢ δύο χεῖρας ἢ δύο πόδας ἔχοντα - ē duo cheiras ē duo podas echonta): Refers to retaining full physical (and symbolic spiritual) capability that is, however, being used for sin.
• and be thrown into eternal fire (βληθῆναι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον - blēthēnai eis to pyr to aiōnion): Blēthēnai (βληθῆναι) implies forceful expulsion. Pyr aionion (πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον) refers to the fire of Gehenna, a symbolic place of unending, decisive punishment or destruction. Aionion denotes quality and perpetual existence, not simply temporal duration, thus emphasizing the definitive and dire consequence.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble...": This phrase identifies the problem: personal actions, habits, relationships, or desires (represented by hand/foot) that consistently lead an individual into sin. It implies a pattern of sin connected to one's conduct.
• "...cut it off and throw it away.": This is the radical solution. It is not literal self-mutilation but a powerful metaphor for decisive, uncompromising, and complete repentance and severance from the source of temptation. It signifies a profound inner struggle to decisively reject anything, no matter how much it feels like a part of oneself, that leads to sin.
• "It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.": This climactic statement contrasts two outcomes. "Entering life" (eternal salvation, communion with God) is valued infinitely more, even if it means great personal sacrifice and loss in this life (symbolically "crippled or lame"), than maintaining an apparently complete worldly life ("two hands or two feet") which ultimately leads to spiritual ruin ("thrown into eternal fire," representing eternal condemnation). It stresses the non-negotiable priority of spiritual integrity over all earthly attachments or perceived self-sufficiency.

Matthew 18 8 Bonus section

The repeated emphasis on this teaching (found in slightly different forms in Matt 5:29-30 and Mk 9:43-48) highlights its crucial importance in Jesus' ethical demands. The "cutting off" is a one-time decisive act of repentance and separation, after which the ongoing spiritual struggle is to live by the Spirit, not the flesh (Rom 8:13). While the primary focus here is the individual's personal sin that causes themselves to stumble, it implicitly strengthens the prior warning in Matt 18:6-7 about causing others to stumble, as a believer must deal with their own sin first and foremost to prevent themselves from becoming a snare to others. The use of such extreme language points to the eternal stakes involved—a clear choice between temporal attachment to sin and eternal salvation. This verse serves as a powerful call to deep, searching self-examination and courageous action in purifying one's life before God.

Matthew 18 8 Commentary

Matthew 18:8 presents a vivid, hyper-literal, and extreme illustration of Jesus' teaching on personal sanctification and the avoidance of sin. It follows His warning against causing others to stumble, moving now to the individual's responsibility for their own spiritual walk. The core message is the non-negotiable necessity of radical detachment from anything—be it an activity, relationship, possession, thought pattern, or ambition—that acts as a spiritual "stumbling block," consistently leading one into sin. The imagery of severing a hand or foot underscores the drastic measures Jesus calls His followers to take. This is not about physical amputation but spiritual surgery—a complete and irreversible breaking away from habitual sins or temptations that imperil one's soul. The severity of this command is justified by the terrifying alternative: "eternal fire," signifying ultimate, irreversible condemnation and separation from God. Jesus insists that even the most cherished or essential parts of one's life, if they are channels of sin, must be sacrificed for the sake of entering into eternal life. The immediate loss, though painful, pales in comparison to the eternal gain of salvation.

• Practical Usage Examples:
  • Ending a relationship that consistently leads to unholy behavior, even if emotionally difficult.
  • Quitting a job or leaving an environment where integrity is constantly compromised.
  • Removing tempting digital devices or applications that facilitate engagement in sin.
  • Radically altering leisure activities that promote unhealthy spiritual habits.