New King James Version
Matthew 5:29
29If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out 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 5:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out 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.
Context of Matthew 5:29
27“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out 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. 30And 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. 31“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:29 word by word
εἰ δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ὁ δεξιὸς σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔξελε αὐτὸν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου βληθῇ εἰς γέενναν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- thyσύsu · youG4771
- rightδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
- eyeὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
- offendσκανδαλίζωskandalizō · to cause to stumbleG4624
- pluckἐξαιρέωexaireō · to take out/selectG1807
- itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- it is profitableσυμφέρωsumpherō · be profitableG4851
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- ofμέλοςmelos · memberG3196
- should perishἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
- notμήmē · notG3361
- wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
- bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- hellγέενναgeenna · hell: GehennaG1067
Cross-references for Matthew 5:29
- Matthew 18:8“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.
- Mark 9:43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—
- Matthew 19:12For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”
- Romans 6:6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
- Romans 8:13For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
- 1 Corinthians 9:27But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
- Galatians 5:24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
- Colossians 3:5Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
- 1 Peter 4:1Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
- Matthew 16:26For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
- Proverbs 5:8Remove your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house,
- Mark 8:36For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
- Luke 9:24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Pluck it out - cut it off - We must shut our senses against dangerous objects, to avoid the occasions of sin, and deprive ourselves of all that is most dear and profitable to us, in order to save our souls, when we find that these dear and profitable things, however innocent in themselves, cause us to sin against God. It is profitable for thee that one of thy members - Men often part with some members of the body, at the discretion of a surgeon, that they…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29Thy right eye - The Hebrews, like others, were accustomed to represent the affections of the mind by the members or parts of the body, Romans 7:23; Romans 6:13. Thus, the bowels denoted compassion; the heart, affection or feeling; the reins, understanding, secret purpose. An evil eye denotes sometimes envy Matthew 20:15, and sometimes an evil passion, or sin in general. Mark 7:21-22; “out of the heart proceedeth an evil eye.” In this place, as in 2 Peter…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-32Verses 27-32 Victory over the desires of the heart, must be attended with painful exertions. But it must be done. Every thing is bestowed to save us from our sins, not in them. All our senses and powers must be kept from those things which lead to transgression. Those who lead others into temptation to sin, by dress or in other ways, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty of their sin, and will be accountable for it. If painful…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29Hell (Greek Gehenna): Gehenna was the name of a valley outside Jerusalem. Some kings of Judah used this place to worship idols and even offered children as sacrifices by fire (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; 32:35). King Josiah eventually destroyed this site (2 Kings 23:10). In the New Testament, Gehenna refers to the place where God punishes. Jesus taught that unless his followers live with greater righteousness (living in the right way before…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. And if thy right eye--the readier and the dearer of the two. offend thee--be a "trap spring," or as in the New Testament, be "an occasion of stumbling" to thee. pluck it out and cast it from thee--implying a certain indignant promptitude, heedless of whatever cost to feeling the act may involve. Of course, it is not the eye simply of which our Lord speaks--as if execution were to be done upon the bodily organ--though there have been fanatical ascetics…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:29
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries