Matthew 5 30

Matthew 5:30 kjv

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:30 nkjv

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:30 niv

And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Matthew 5:30 esv

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Matthew 5:30 nlt

And if your hand ? even your stronger hand ? causes you to sin, cut it off 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.

Matthew 5 verses

Matthew 5 30 Meaning

This verse conveys the essential truth that severe, uncompromising action is necessary to eliminate sources of sin in one's life and thereby avoid eternal damnation. It underscores that any sacrifice, no matter how extreme or costly in a worldly sense, is infinitely preferable to facing the consequences of unrepented sin, which culminate in Gehenna. Jesus uses hyperbole to emphasize the critical importance of spiritual purity and radical commitment to righteousness over any personal attachment or worldly gain.

Matthew 5 30 Context

Matthew 5:30 is a powerful exhortation from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, found within the section where He reinterprets and deepens the Law given to Moses (Matt 5:21-48). Specifically, it follows Jesus' teaching on adultery (Matt 5:27-28), where He expands the prohibition from merely the act of adultery to the lustful thought in the heart. Verses 29 and 30 use striking imagery of mutilation (gouging out an eye, cutting off a hand) as hyperbole to impress upon His listeners the extreme measure required to combat inward sin that originates from their own being. This teaching challenged the prevailing interpretation among some Jewish religious leaders who often emphasized external obedience to the Law while neglecting the inner motives and desires. Jesus elevates the standard of righteousness to encompass the thoughts and intentions of the heart, connecting them directly to ultimate spiritual outcomes in the "Gehenna" (hell).

Matthew 5 30 Word analysis

• And if your right hand:
  • And (καὶ, kai): A conjunction linking this statement to the previous verse (v. 29) regarding the eye, showing continuity of thought about sources of sin.
  • your right hand (ἡ δεξιά σου χεὶρ, hē dexia sou cheir): "Right hand" represents one's most effective and strong instrument, used for work, pledges, and powerful actions. Culturally, it signifies strength, ability, and means of livelihood. Here, it symbolizes any valued ability, habit, or relationship that serves as a tool or avenue for committing sin.
• causes you to stumble:
  • causes... to stumble (σκανδαλίζει σε, skandalizei se): From the root skandalon, meaning a trap, snare, or stumbling block. It signifies leading or being led into sin, or becoming a snare to oneself. It highlights that the "right hand" is not inherently evil, but becomes a means for falling into sin.
• cut it off:
  • cut it off (ἔκκοψον αὐτὴν, ekkopsōn autēn): A forceful, imperative verb implying immediate and decisive action. To sever, chop off completely. Not a literal command for self-mutilation, but a hyperbole for drastic and absolute renunciation of anything that leads to sin.
• and throw it away:
  • and throw it away (καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ, kai bale apo sou): Further emphasizes the need for complete disengagement and irreversible separation from the sin-producing agent. It means to cast out, discard entirely, or reject as worthless.
• It is better for you:
  • It is better for you (συμφέρει γάρ σοι, sympherei gar soi): Signifies that it is more advantageous, profitable, or beneficial. It frames the choice as a matter of eternal utility and wise decision-making.
• to lose one part of your body:
  • to lose (ἀπόληται, apolētai): To perish, be destroyed, or lost. In this context, it implies the physical or functional removal of the specified body part, a severe loss in human terms.
  • one part of your body (ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου, hen tōn melōn sou): Refers metaphorically to any valued aspect of oneself, whether an ability, desire, or connection that facilitates sin.
• than for your whole body:
  • whole body (ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου, holon to sōma sou): Emphasizes the entire person, the complete being. The contrast is between the sacrifice of a part and the destruction of the entirety.
• to go into hell:
  • to go into hell (ἀπελθῆ εἰς γέενναν, apelthē eis Geennan): Gehenna (γέεννα) refers to the Valley of Hinnom, a historical location southwest of Jerusalem used for burning waste and historically associated with child sacrifice to Moloch. In the New Testament, it becomes a powerful metaphor for the place of eternal judgment and torment, distinct from Hades (the grave or realm of the dead). It represents ultimate, irreversible spiritual destruction and suffering for the unrighteous.

Words-group Analysis:

• "And if your right hand causes you to stumble": This phrase highlights that sin is often enabled or executed by even our most useful or potent capabilities. The danger is not merely external temptation but the internal disposition and the tools we possess that can be hijacked by sinful desires.
• "cut it off and throw it away": This command conveys extreme, decisive action against anything, no matter how cherished or apparently vital, that serves as a channel for sin. It mandates a radical and uncompromising renunciation, implying pain and sacrifice in severing the bond with sin.
• "It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell": This striking comparison defines the ultimate stakes. It posits that any earthly loss or pain incurred in severing ties with sin is minuscule when weighed against the infinite, terrifying consequence of eternal destruction in Gehenna. It prioritizes spiritual and eternal well-being over temporal integrity.

Matthew 5 30 Bonus section

The hyperbolic nature of Jesus' statement (cutting off a hand) serves to arrest the attention of the audience and communicate an unyielding principle. It is repeated by Jesus in a slightly varied form in Matt 18:8-9 and Mark 9:43-48, signifying its critical importance in His teaching on discipleship. The use of "Gehenna" underscores a specific and horrific consequence, linking Jesus' warnings directly to an established Jewish understanding of ultimate judgment, thereby emphasizing its severity and irreversibility for the unrighteous. This passage demands not merely avoiding sinful acts, but uprooting the very means and desires that facilitate sin, embodying the costly grace required for genuine discipleship.

Matthew 5 30 Commentary

Jesus' instruction in Matthew 5:30 is a vivid and forceful metaphor, not an endorsement of literal self-mutilation. Following the parallel teaching about the "right eye," it extends the demand for absolute vigilance against sin to the "right hand," symbolizing one's active capacity or any personal resource that can become an instrument of wrongdoing. The core message is the urgent necessity of radical, painful self-denial and spiritual discipline to escape eternal condemnation.

This teaching reveals the profound seriousness with which God views sin and the dire consequences for those who do not address its root causes in their lives. Jesus emphasizes that superficial obedience is insufficient; true righteousness requires addressing the inward lusts and intentions that precede sinful acts. To protect one's eternal soul from Gehenna, no cost is too great, no personal sacrifice too extreme. The implied call is to ruthlessly identify and sever anything, whether a habit, relationship, entertainment, or even an aspect of one's own character or ambition, that leads one to sin.

Examples of its practical usage today include:

• Unplugging from technology if social media use leads to envy or gossip.
• Ending a relationship that consistently compromises one's moral integrity.
• Discontinuing a recreational activity that frequently presents opportunities for spiritual stumbling.