And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus emphasizes the personal sting of sin by framing it as something originating from our own bodies. He’s not just talking about external temptations, but about desires or appetites, represented by body parts, that become obstacles to following him. The radical command to remove an eye or hand highlights that anything, no matter how precious, that leads us astray is worth sacrificing to gain eternal life.
And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is teaching his disciples about the seriousness of causing others, especially the "little ones" who believe in him, to stumble in their faith. He's just warned about the severe judgment awaiting anyone who leads a believer astray, even suggesting a millstone around the neck and being drowned would be a merciful end for such a person. Following this intense warning, he uses graphic, hyperbole-filled language to emphasize the absolute necessity of avoiding sin, even if it means extreme self-sacrifice.
Jesus uses extreme imagery to warn against harming those who trust in Him. What makes these 'little ones' so precious?
Jesus is addressing a dispute among his disciples about who was the greatest. To curb their pride and self-importance, He emphasizes the immense value of those who are humble and trusting in Him, referred to as 'little ones.'
A Divine Perspective
Harming or causing one of these believers to stumble (to 'offend' them) is presented as a horrific offense against God Himself. The punishment suggested – a millstone around the neck and drowning – was a severe penalty for the most heinous crimes in that culture. Jesus uses it to illustrate that God's judgment on those who harm the vulnerable will be far more severe.
Protecting the Flock
This isn't just about avoiding personal sin; it's about actively protecting those who are new in faith or who are easily influenced. It’s a call to a radical, protective love that prioritizes the spiritual well-being of others above our own comfort or status.
Jesus commands radical self-amputation to avoid sin. What does this severe metaphor teach us about dealing with temptation?
Jesus employs hyperbole to shock His listeners into understanding the seriousness of sin, especially when it stems from something we hold dear.
The 'Offending' Eye
Ask a follow-up
Here, the 'eye' symbolizes something deeply cherished – perhaps a source of pleasure, desire, or even a particular way of seeing the world. When such a thing leads us to sin, particularly in a way that harms others or ourselves spiritually, Jesus says we must be willing to 'tear it out.'
Better Loss Than Destruction
This drastic imagery highlights that any 'gain' from sin—even if it’s something as precious as our sight, a treasured relationship, or a personal ambition—is ultimately worthless compared to eternal life. The cost of holding onto sin is far greater than the cost of letting it go, even if letting go feels like a devastating loss.
Understand the original words
geenna · Greek Noun
The place of final, everlasting judgment and punishment for the wicked, characterized by separation from God.
This passage offers a direct parallel, with Jesus using similar hyperbolic language about cutting off a hand or plucking out an eye to avoid sin, underscoring the extreme measures needed to protect one's spiritual life.
Mark 9:43This passage is nearly identical in its warning, reinforcing the severity of sin and the importance of radical self-discipline by using the vivid imagery of entering life maimed rather than being cast into hell.
Luke 17:2Luke records Jesus' similar warning about causing 'little ones' to stumble, emphasizing that it would be better for such a person to have a millstone hung around their neck and be drowned, highlighting the extreme consequences of leading others into sin.
Romans 8:13This verse speaks to the concept of 'putting to death the deeds of the body' through the Spirit, echoing the extreme commitment Jesus calls for in Matthew 18:9 to mortify sinful tendencies, even those as vital as sight.
1 Corinthians 9:27Paul's analogy of 'buffeting' his body and making it his slave, lest he become a castaway, resonates with the radical self-denial Jesus demands in plucking out an eye to ensure one's salvation.
calvinMatthew 18:6-10: "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
- But whosoever shall offend one of those little ones who believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were sunk to the bottom of the sea. 7. Woe to the world on account of offenses! for offenses must come; but woe to the man by whom the offe…
henryMatthew 18:7-14: "Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!"
18:7-14 Considering the cunning and malice of Satan, and the weakness and depravity of men's hearts, it is not possible but that there should be offences. God permits them for wise and holy ends, that those who are sincere, and those who are not, may be made known. Being told before, that there will be seducers, tempters, persecutors, and bad exampl…
Jesus emphasizes the personal sting of sin by framing it as something originating from our own bodies. He’s not just talking about external temptations, but about desires or appetites, represented by body parts, that become obstacles to following him. The radical command to remove an eye or hand highlights that anything, no matter how precious, that leads us astray is worth sacrificing to gain eternal life.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about the seriousness of causing others, especially the "little ones" who believe in him, to stumble in their faith. He's just warned about the severe judgment awaiting anyone who leads a believer astray, even suggesting a millstone around the neck and being drowned would be a merciful end for such a person. Following this intense warning, he uses graphic, hyperbole-filled language to emphasize the absolute necessity of avoiding sin, even if it means extreme self-sacrifice.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about the seriousness of causing others, especially the "little ones" who believe in him, to stumble in their faith. He's just warned about the severe judgment awaiting anyone who leads a believer astray, even suggesting a millstone around the neck and being drowned would be a merciful end for such a person. Following this intense warning, he uses graphic, hyperbole-filled language to emphasize the absolute necessity of avoiding sin, even if it means extreme self-sacrifice.
"And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire." — Jesus emphasizes the personal sting of sin by framing it as something originating from our own bodies. He’s not just talking about external temptations, but about desires or appetites, represented…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026