41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.

42 “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell[a] with two hands.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 9:43a Greek Gehenna; also in 9:45, 47.
  2. 9:43b Some manuscripts add verse 44, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ See 9:48.

41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.(A)

Causing to Stumble

42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,(B) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.(C) 43 If your hand causes you to stumble,(D) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,(E) where the fire never goes out.(F)

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