New American Standard Bible 1995

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Matthew

18

:

8

"If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
"If sometimes used with a command or as an indirect question, etc.) Conj H1487 Ἐι ei
your hand the hand N-AFP H5495 χείρ cheir
or or, than Conj H2228 ē
your foot a foot N-AMP H4228 πούς pous
causes you to stumble, to put a snare (in the way), hence to cause to stumble, to give offense V-PIA-3S H4624 σκανδαλίζει skandalizei
cut it off to cut off, cut down, cut out, fig. to frustrate V-AMA-2S H1581 ἔκκοψον ekkopson
and throw to throw, cast V-ANP H906 βάλε bale
it from you; it is better beautiful, good Adj-NNS H2570 καλόν kalon
for you to enter to go in (to), enter V-ANA H1525 εἰσελθεῖν eiselthein
life life N-AFS H2222 ζωὴν zōēn
crippled crippled Adj-AMS H2948 κυλλὸν kullon
or or, than Conj H2228 ē
lame, lame, halt, maimed Adj-AMS H5560 χωλὸν chōlon
than or, than Conj H2228 ē
to have to have, hold V-PPA-AMS H2192 ἔχοντα echonta
two two Adj-AMP H1417 δύο duo
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

hands the hand N-AFP H5495 χεῖρας cheiras
or or, than Conj H2228 ē
two two Adj-AMP H1417 δύο duo
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

feet a foot N-AMP H4228 πόδας podas
and be cast to throw, cast V-ANP H906 βληθῆναι blēthēnai
into the eternal agelong, eternal Adj-ANS H166 αἰώνιον aiōnion
fire. fire N-ANS H4442 πῦρ pur

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.
King James Bible "If your Wherefore if thy hand or your thy foot causes you to stumble, offend thee, cut it off them off, and throw it cast them from you; thee: it is better for you thee to enter into life crippled halt or lame, maimed, rather than to have having two hands or two feet and to be cast into the eternal everlasting fire.
Berean Bible "If Now if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, sin, cut it off and throw cast it from you; it is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame, than to have having two hands or two feet and feet, to be cast into the eternal fire.
Hebrew Greek English "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.