Mark 9:43

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

And {G2532} if {G1437} thy {G4675} hand {G5495} offend {G4624} thee {G4571}, cut {G609} it {G846} off {G609}: it is {G2076} better {G2570} for thee {G4671} to enter {G1525} into {G1519} life {G2222} maimed {G2948}, than {G2228} having {G2192} two {G1417} hands {G5495} to go {G565} into {G1519} hell {G1067}, into {G1519} the fire {G4442} that never shall be quenched {G762}:

If your hand makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be maimed but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both hands and go to Gei-Hinnom, to unquenchable fire!

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

This verse from Mark's Gospel presents a stark and challenging teaching from Jesus about the seriousness of sin and the measures required for spiritual salvation.

Context

Mark 9:43 is part of a section where Jesus is teaching His disciples about true greatness, humility, and the dangers of causing others to stumble. He has just warned against causing a "little one" to stumble (Mark 9:42), and now He turns the focus inward, using hyperbole to illustrate the radical steps needed to prevent oneself from stumbling into sin that leads to destruction. The following verses continue this theme, applying it to the foot and the eye (Mark 9:45, Mark 9:47) and concluding with warnings about the "worm that dieth not, and the fire that never shall be quenched."

Key Themes

  • Radical Discipleship: Jesus uses extreme imagery ("cut it off") to emphasize that following Him and entering eternal life requires decisive, even painful, action against anything that hinders one's relationship with God or leads to sin.
  • Severity of Sin: The passage highlights the grave danger of sin, portraying it not just as a mistake but as something potentially damning, capable of leading one to eternal ruin.
  • Eternal Consequences: A clear contrast is drawn between "entering into life" (eternal life with God) and "going into hell" (eternal punishment). This underscores the ultimate stakes involved in one's choices regarding sin and salvation. The phrase "the fire that never shall be quenched" emphasizes the finality and eternal nature of this judgment.
  • Avoiding Stumbling Blocks: While the previous verse spoke of not causing *others* to stumble, this verse applies the principle to oneself – taking drastic measures to remove personal "stumbling blocks" (things that "offend" or cause one to sin).

Linguistic Insights

The word translated "offend" is from the Greek skandalizō, which means to cause to stumble, ensnare, or lead into sin. It's not merely annoying someone but actively causing spiritual ruin. The term "hell" here is Geenna (Gehenna), which refers to the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, historically associated with pagan sacrifices and later used as a perpetually burning refuse dump. Jesus employs this image as a metaphor for a place of final judgment and eternal destruction. The phrase "never shall be quenched" (Greek: asbestos) reinforces the idea of an unceasing, eternal fire.

Reflection and Application

Jesus' command to cut off a hand or foot or pluck out an eye is hyperbole, not meant to be taken literally as self-mutilation. Instead, it is a powerful metaphor demanding ruthless self-examination and action against anything – habits, relationships, desires, thoughts – that acts as a spiritual "stumbling block" leading us into serious sin. It calls for radical obedience and a willingness to sacrifice anything that jeopardizes our eternal relationship with God. The difficulty of this "cutting off" process is weighed against the immeasurable value of entering into eternal life, highlighting the urgency and importance of dealing decisively with sin in our lives.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 5:29

    And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, 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

    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 18:8

    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 18:9

    And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

  • Matthew 25:41

    Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

  • Matthew 5:22

    But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

  • Hebrews 12:1

    ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

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