Matthew 6:23 kjv
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:23 nkjv
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:23 niv
But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:23 esv
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Matthew 6:23 nlt
But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
Matthew 6 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 6:19-21 | Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. | Connection to covetousness/heart's focus. |
| Mt 6:22 | The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. | Immediate context, contrast with "bad eye". |
| Lk 11:34-36 | Your eye is the lamp of your body... Take care then that the light in you may not be darkness. | Parallel teaching, same emphasis. |
| Prov 4:23 | Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. | Importance of inner source of life. |
| Mk 7:21-23 | For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy... | Corrupt heart's output. |
| Jer 17:9 | The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? | Deceptive nature of the human heart. |
| Jn 1:4-5 | In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. | Christ as true light. |
| Jn 8:12 | Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” | Christ's solution to darkness. |
| Jn 9:39-41 | Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”... “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” | Spiritual blindness of those who claim to see. |
| Rom 1:21-22 | For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. | Result of rejecting God's truth. |
| Rom 1:28 | And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. | God giving people over to their own minds. |
| 2 Cor 3:14 | But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. | Blindness without Christ. |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ... | Satan's blinding influence. |
| Eph 4:17-18 | ...that you no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding... | Mind darkened by sin. |
| Col 1:13 | He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. | Deliverance from spiritual darkness. |
| Isa 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! | Ancient prophecy on calling good evil. |
| Isa 6:9-10 | “Go, and say to this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull... lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn and be healed.” | Spiritual dullness leading to blindness. |
| Prov 28:22 | A man with a evil eye hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him. | Direct link of evil eye to wealth/coveting. |
| Lk 16:13 | No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. | Divided allegiance and its consequences. |
| 1 Tim 6:10 | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. | Love of money causing spiritual damage. |
| 1 Jn 1:5-6 | This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie... | God's nature and the lie of walking in darkness. |
| Titus 1:15-16 | To the pure, all things are pure, but to defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. | Corrupted mind and conscience. |
| 2 Thes 2:9-12 | The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false... | Strong delusion for rejecting truth. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | But false prophets also arose among the people... and in their greed these teachers will exploit you with false words. | Danger of false teachers and greed. |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God... | Importance of a renewed mind for discernment. |
Matthew 6 verses
Matthew 6 23 Meaning
Matthew 6:23 is a profound warning about the spiritual state of one's inner being. Following the analogy of the eye as the body's lamp, this verse states that if the "eye"—which symbolizes one's inner perception, moral compass, or spiritual discernment—is "bad" (evil, corrupt, or envious), then the entire person, their actions, and their life will be consumed by spiritual darkness. The gravest danger is then identified: if what one perceives to be "light" or truth within oneself is, in reality, darkness, the resultant state of spiritual blindness and delusion is profound and catastrophic. It emphasizes that a corrupted inner disposition leads to a complete absence of divine truth and understanding, rendering one deeply lost and incapable of discerning truth from error.
Matthew 6 23 Context
Matthew 6:23 is an integral part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, specifically within the section dealing with true righteousness versus outward display. Following warnings against practicing religious duties (alms, prayer, fasting) for human applause, Jesus shifts to the deeper issue of a disciple's motivation and allegiance. The verses preceding Mt 6:23 (Mt 6:19-21) speak of laying up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, as one's heart follows one's treasure. Mt 6:22 then introduces the analogy of the eye as the lamp of the body, setting the stage for the contrast in Mt 6:23. The entire passage (Mt 6:19-24) culminates in the definitive statement that "no one can serve two masters," fundamentally tying inner spiritual state to one's orientation towards God versus wealth/materialism. The "bad eye" is often understood as a metaphor for covetousness, selfishness, or a distorted moral vision caused by earthly desires, preventing true spiritual light from illuminating one's life.
Matthew 6 23 Word analysis
- But if (Εἰ δὲ - Ei de): Introduces a strong contrast, building on the positive scenario of the "healthy eye" from Mt 6:22. It signifies a hypothetical but critical condition.
- your eye (ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου - ho ophthalmos sou): In this metaphorical context, the "eye" is not merely the physical organ. It refers to one's inner disposition, moral perception, spiritual outlook, or the very source of one's discernment and insight. It represents how one sees and processes spiritual and moral truth.
- is bad (πονηρὸς ᾖ - poneros ē): From poneros (πονηρός), meaning evil, wicked, worthless, malignant, morally corrupt. It's the antonym of haplous (ἁπλοῦς, "healthy" or "generous/simple" in Mt 6:22). A "bad eye" implies an inward bent toward covetousness, envy, stinginess, selfishness, or a morally twisted perspective that obscures truth. It signifies a corrupt inner intent rather than merely poor physical sight.
- your whole body (ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου - holon to sōma sou): Symbolizes the entirety of one's person, character, actions, and spiritual existence. It encompasses thoughts, desires, decisions, and lifestyle.
- will be full of darkness (σκοτεινὸν ἔσται - skoteinon estai): From skoteinos (σκοτεινός), meaning dark, gloomy. It refers to a pervasive spiritual condition where one lacks truth, discernment, and moral clarity. It is an absence of divine light, resulting in confusion, spiritual blindness, and error.
- If then (Εἰ οὖν - Ei oun): Connects this second condition to the preceding one, emphasizing the logical consequence.
- the light that is in you (τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοί - to phōs to en soi): Phos (φῶς) means light, truth, revelation, enlightenment. This refers to what a person believes to be their guiding truth, spiritual understanding, moral compass, or conscience. It is the supposed source of spiritual illumination they possess or rely upon.
- is darkness (σκότος ἐστίν - skotos estin): Skotos (σκότος) means literal or spiritual darkness, ignorance. This is a profound paradox. It means that the very thing one trusts as light and truth is, in actuality, deception, error, or spiritual blindness itself. This represents a deep state of delusion where good is called evil and evil good (Isa 5:20).
- how great is that darkness! (πόσον τὸ σκότος - poson to skotos): A rhetorical exclamation emphasizing the extreme severity and tragedy of such a spiritual state. It is not merely the absence of light (ignorance), but a perverse condition where the internal light source itself is darkness, leading to profound spiritual catastrophe and self-deception that is difficult, if not impossible, to overcome without divine intervention.
Words-Group Analysis
- "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.": This establishes the direct cause-and-effect: a corrupt inner disposition (the "bad eye," representing a covetous or self-serving perspective) inevitably leads to total spiritual impairment and confusion throughout one's entire being.
- "If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!": This climactic statement underscores the ultimate peril. If one's perceived source of spiritual guidance, truth, or discernment (the "light") is fundamentally corrupted and leads to error (is "darkness"), then the state of spiritual lostness is incomparably severe, far worse than mere ignorance. It describes a radical form of self-deception and moral perversion where one is confident in their blindness.
Matthew 6 23 Bonus section
The idiom of the "evil eye" was widely understood in the ancient Near East and Jewish thought. While sometimes associated with malevolent magical influence, in a moral context (like Prov 28:22; Mt 20:15), it typically referred to covetousness, envy, stinginess, or an ungenerous spirit, particularly concerning material possessions. Thus, a "bad eye" is often interpreted as a "grudging eye" or "greedy eye," indicating that one's orientation towards wealth and worldly possessions fundamentally impacts their spiritual vision. If a person's inner perception is dominated by material desires and self-interest, they are unable to truly see or embrace the spiritual treasures and Kingdom values that Jesus proclaims. The severity of the concluding rhetorical question emphasizes that the greatest danger lies not in outward displays of wickedness, but in the internal corruption that distorts truth and masquerades as light, making spiritual remedy extraordinarily difficult.
Matthew 6 23 Commentary
Matthew 6:23 serves as a grave spiritual warning within the broader context of pursuing heavenly treasures over earthly ones. Jesus teaches that one's inner spiritual focus, symbolized by the eye, determines their entire spiritual state. If this inner focus is "bad" – driven by greed, envy, stinginess, or a worldly, materialistic perspective – then the person's entire being will be enveloped in spiritual darkness, devoid of true spiritual insight and discernment.
The verse reaches its pinnacle with the startling paradox: "If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" This refers to a state of profound spiritual delusion where what an individual considers to be spiritual truth, righteousness, or enlightenment is, in fact, moral or spiritual error. This condition is far more dangerous than simple ignorance, as the very means by which one might perceive truth is itself compromised. Such individuals often profess to know God or have understanding, yet their hearts are warped by sin, leading them to call evil good and good evil. This applies to self-righteous individuals, those captivated by false doctrines, or anyone whose core motivations are contrary to God's kingdom values, rendering them profoundly blind to true light despite their own convictions.
Practical examples include:
- A person who believes pursuing limitless wealth is virtuous, even if it harms others or compromises their faith, genuinely thinking this path is blessed, yet finding only emptiness and moral decay.
- Someone steeped in self-deception, justifying sinful actions while believing themselves spiritually sound, leading to deeper alienation from God.
- A religious leader who prioritizes power and earthly gain over true pastoral care, convincing themselves and others they are serving God, yet leading followers astray into spiritual darkness.