Mark 9:45
New International Version
And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

New Living Translation
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet.

English Standard Version
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.

Berean Standard Bible
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

Berean Literal Bible
And if your foot should cause you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than having the two feet, to be cast into Gehenna.

King James Bible
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

New King James Version
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—

New American Standard Bible
And if your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life without a foot, than, having your two feet, to be thrown into hell.

NASB 1995
“If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell,

NASB 1977
“And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than having your two feet, to be cast into hell,

Legacy Standard Bible
And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell,

Amplified Bible
If your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It would be better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell,

Christian Standard Bible
And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And if your foot causes your downfall, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell— the unquenchable fire,

American Standard Version
And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell.

English Revised Version
And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

Good News Translation
And if your foot makes you lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a foot than to keep both feet and be thrown into hell.

International Standard Version
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It's better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

Majority Standard Bible
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, into the unquenchable fire,

NET Bible
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

New Heart English Bible
If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off.[note: idiom meaning to stop doing a sin] It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into hell.

Webster's Bible Translation
And if thy foot causeth thee to fall into sin, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Weymouth New Testament
Or if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off: it would be better for you to enter into Life crippled, than remain in possession of both your feet and be thrown into Gehenna.

World English Bible
If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched—
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And if your foot may cause you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than having the two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire—the unquenchable—

Berean Literal Bible
And if your foot should cause you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than having the two feet, to be cast into Gehenna.

Young's Literal Translation
'And if thy foot may cause thee to stumble, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter into the life lame, than having the two feet to be cast to the gehenna, to the fire -- the unquenchable --

Smith's Literal Translation
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life lame, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into inextinguishable fire:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And if thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter lame into life everlasting, than having two feet, to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire:

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if your foot causes you to sin, chop it off: it is better for you to enter into eternal life lame, than having two feet to be cast into the Hell of unquenchable fire,

New American Bible
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. [

New Revised Standard Version
And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And if your foot offends you, cut it off; it is much better for you to go through life lame, than to have two feet, and fall into Gehenna,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“If your foot subverts you, cut it off, for it is better for you to enter the Life crippled than when you have two feet that you should fall into Gehenna.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And if your foot ensnare you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life lame, than having two feet to Be thrown into hell, into the fire that is not quenched,

Godbey New Testament
If thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is good for thee to go into life lame, rather than have two feet to be cast into hell.

Haweis New Testament
And if thy foot cause thee to offend, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life halting, than having both feet to be cast into hell, into the fire which never can be quenched:

Mace New Testament
and if thy foot make thee transgress, saw it off, it is better for you to enter into life, tho' lame, than to have both feet, and be thrown into Gehenna, the unextinguishable fire:

Weymouth New Testament
Or if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off: it would be better for you to enter into Life crippled, than remain in possession of both your feet and be thrown into Gehenna.

Worrell New Testament
And, if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is good for you to enter into life lame, rather than having the two feet to be cast into Hell.

Worsley New Testament
And if thy foot cause thee to offend, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life lame, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the inextinguishable fire;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Temptations and Trespasses
45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

Cross References
Matthew 5:30
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.

Matthew 18:8
If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

Isaiah 66:24
“As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind.”

Matthew 25:41
Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Revelation 20:15
And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

Luke 16:24
So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’

2 Thessalonians 1:9
They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,

Proverbs 6:27-28
Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? / Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?

Jeremiah 7:31
They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.

Ezekiel 20:47-48
Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched. / Then all people will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.”

Deuteronomy 32:22
For a fire has been kindled by My anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol; it consumes the earth and its produce, and scorches the foundations of the mountains.

Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling grips the ungodly: “Who of us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting flames?”

Daniel 12:2
And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Matthew 13:42
And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


Treasury of Scripture

And if your foot offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:43,44
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: …

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Better Cast Cause Causes Causeth Crippled Cut Enter Fall Feet Fire Foot Gehenna Good Halt Hell Life Offend Possession Quenched Rather Serve Sin Snare Stumble Trouble Unquenchable
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Better Cast Cause Causes Causeth Crippled Cut Enter Fall Feet Fire Foot Gehenna Good Halt Hell Life Offend Possession Quenched Rather Serve Sin Snare Stumble Trouble Unquenchable
Mark 9
1. Jesus is transfigured.
11. He instructs his disciples concerning the coming of Elijah;
14. casts forth a deaf and mute spirit;
30. foretells his death and resurrection;
33. exhorts his disciples to humility;
38. bidding them not to prohibit such as are not against them,
42. nor to give offense to any of the faithful.














If your foot causes you to sin
The phrase "If your foot causes you to sin" uses the Greek word "σκανδαλίζω" (skandalizō), which means to cause to stumble or to lead into sin. In the cultural and historical context of the time, the foot symbolizes one's path or way of life. Jesus is emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the lengths to which one should go to avoid it. The foot, as a metaphor, represents the actions and directions one takes in life. The call here is to examine one's life and remove anything that leads to sin, reflecting a deep commitment to holiness and righteousness.

cut it off
The directive to "cut it off" is hyperbolic, a common teaching method used by Jesus to stress the importance of radical action against sin. The Greek word "ἀποκόπτω" (apokoptō) means to sever or amputate. This drastic imagery underscores the severity with which believers should treat sin. It is not a literal command but a vivid illustration of the need for decisive and sometimes painful measures to maintain spiritual integrity. The historical context shows that such language was understood as a call to spiritual discipline and self-denial.

It is better for you to enter life lame
"Enter life" refers to entering eternal life, a central theme in Jesus' teachings. The Greek word "ζωή" (zōē) signifies not just physical life but a quality of life that is eternal and abundant. The term "lame" (χωλός, chōlos) indicates a physical impairment, used metaphorically here to suggest that spiritual wholeness is more important than physical completeness. The message is clear: eternal life with God is of such value that any sacrifice is worth making to attain it.

than to have two feet and be thrown into hell
The contrast here is stark. "Two feet" symbolizes a life lived without restraint or discipline, leading to spiritual peril. The word "hell" is translated from the Greek "γέεννα" (Gehenna), a term derived from the Valley of Hinnom, a place outside Jerusalem associated with idolatry and child sacrifice in the Old Testament, later becoming a symbol of divine judgment and eternal punishment. This imagery would have been powerful to Jesus' audience, reminding them of the consequences of unrepentant sin. The phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the eternal stakes involved in the choices one makes in life.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
If
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

foot
πούς (pous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4228: The foot. A primary word; a 'foot'.

causes you to fall into sin,
σκανδαλίζῃ (skandalizē)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4624: From skandalon; to entrap, i.e. Trip up (transitively) or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure).

cut it off.
ἀπόκοψον (apokopson)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 609: From apo and kopto; to amputate; reflexively to mutilate.

It is
ἐστίν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

better
καλόν (kalon)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2570: Properly, beautiful, but chiefly good, i.e. Valuable or virtuous.

for you
σε (se)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

to enter
εἰσελθεῖν (eiselthein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.

life
ζωὴν (zōēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2222: Life, both of physical (present) and of spiritual (particularly future) existence. From zao; life.

lame
χωλὸν (chōlon)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5560: Lame, deprived of a foot, limping. Apparently a primary word; 'halt', i.e. Limping.

than
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

to have
ἔχοντα (echonta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

two
δύο (dyo)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1417: Two. A primary numeral; 'two'.

feet
πόδας (podas)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4228: The foot. A primary word; a 'foot'.

[and] be thrown
βληθῆναι (blēthēnai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Strong's 906: (a) I cast, throw, rush, (b) often, in the weaker sense: I place, put, drop. A primary verb; to throw.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

hell.
γέενναν (geennan)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1067: Of Hebrew origin; valley of Hinnom; ge-henna, a valley of Jerusalem, used as a name for the place of everlasting punishment.


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NT Gospels: Mark 9:45 If your foot causes you to stumble (Mar Mk Mr)
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