Matthew 18:8

Amharic Tigrinya 2011

ኢድካ ወይ እግርኻ እንተ ኣስሐተትካ፡ ካባኻ ቘሪጽካ ደርብያ። ክልተ ኢድን ክልተ እግርን ከሎካ ናብ ናይ ዘለኣለም ሓዊ ካብ እትድርበስ ፡ ቊሩጽ ወይስ ሓንካስ ኴንካ ናብ ህይወት ምእታው ይሔሸካ።

What Does This Mean?

In Matthew 18:8, Jesus says that if something you do causes you to sin, it's better to give it up than to keep doing it and go to hell. He uses extreme examples like cutting off a hand or foot to show how serious he is about avoiding sin.

Explained for Children

Imagine if you had a toy that made you want to be mean to your friends every time you played with it. Jesus says it's better to get rid of the toy and play without it than to keep playing with it and end up being very, very sad forever because of how you acted.

Historical Background

This verse is part of Matthew's Gospel, written around 80-90 AD for a Jewish-Christian audience. Jesus teaches his disciples about dealing with sin and the seriousness of choosing eternal life over earthly pleasures.

Living It Out Today

Today, if something in your daily life—like social media or certain friends—is causing you to make bad choices, it might be better to distance yourself from these things rather than risk losing your faith and heading towards a negative path.

Topics

• sin
• eternal life
• sacrifice
• salvation
• discipleship
• avoidance of evil

Related Verses

• Proverbs 6:27-35
• Mark 9:43-48
• Romans 13:14
• Galatians 5:16-24
• James 1:14-15

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jesus literally telling us to cut off our hands or feet?

No, Jesus is using hyperbole (exaggeration) to emphasize how serious it is to avoid sin. He's not suggesting actual self-mutilation but a strong commitment to righteousness.

What kind of things should we 'cut off' in our lives?

We should remove habits, relationships, or activities that lead us into sinful behavior, just as Jesus suggests giving up parts of ourselves that cause harm, though not literally cutting them off.

Why does Matthew 18:8 talk about eternal fire?

Eternal fire symbolizes the punishment for those who choose to continue in sin instead of accepting God's grace. It contrasts with entering life (heaven), emphasizing the importance of avoiding sin.

How can we practically apply this verse today?

We can identify areas in our lives that lead us astray and make changes, like limiting time on social media or distancing from harmful relationships, to ensure we stay true to God's path.