October 28th, 2009
8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Many other translations do not use the word offend as the King James Bible does. Instead, most use the words cause you to sin, including the New King James Bible.
Reading all of Matthew 18, we find that this is Jesus speaking. Before he suggests hacking off your limbs, he suggests that those who cause children to sin would be better off drowned. He then suggests that your mutilate yourself and remove offending limbs as a means by which one can avoid sinning and causing sin.
I haven’t seen too many Christians walking around who chopped off their own limbs as Jesus suggested. Are you willing to cut off your limbs or gouge out your eyes to avoid sinning? If so, what if the sin you wished to prevent was adultery? Would you lop off your junk for Jesus?