Mark 9:47If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire,
The setting
Northern Israel, ~30 AD. Jesus and disciples walking toward Capernaum after the transfiguration. A crowd had gathered around the other disciples...
The emotion here: urgent concern for their eternal destiny
The original word
skandalizō (σκανδαλίζω) — to set a trap, cause to stumble into sin
Why it matters
Gehenna was the actual garbage dump outside Jerusalem where fires burned continuously
Read with care
What most readers miss in Mark 9:47
This isn't about literal amputation — rabbis used hyperbole to make points stick
Common misconceptionMany think Jesus is promoting self-harm, but Jewish teachers regularly used extreme metaphors. He's saying eliminate the source of temptation, not literally injure yourself.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Mark 9:47
Bible Genome reading
Mark 9:47 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Mark 9:47 comes from the book of Mark, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include sacrifice, kingdom. Notable phrases: cast it out; Kingdom of God with one eye. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Mark 9:47 mean to you, today?
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