Matthew 5:30 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus repeats his vivid call to remove decisively whatever causes us to sin.
What Does Matthew 5:30 Mean?
Jesus repeats the radical image, now with the right hand. As with the eye, he declares it better to lose a single member than to let the whole self be destroyed -- driving the lesson home through deliberate repetition.
The doubling intensifies the urgency. Whatever in our lives becomes an instrument of sin, even something as useful as a strong right hand, must be surrendered rather than indulged. Jesus is not commanding self-harm but a wholehearted resolve to be free of sin's grip. The soul is worth far more than any comfort we cling to, and he calls us to choose life with God above all else.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 5:30
What does Matthew 5:30 mean?
Jesus repeats his vivid call to remove decisively whatever causes us to sin.