Dire Warnings

38 aJohn said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and bwe tried to prevent him because he was not following us.”

39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me.

40 “aFor he who is not against us is 1for us.

41 “For awhoever gives you a cup of water to drink 1because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

42 “aWhoever causes one of these 1little ones who believe to stumble, it 2would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he 3had been cast into the sea.

43 “aIf your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into 1bhell, into the cunquenchable fire,

44 [1where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]

45 “If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into 1ahell,

46 [1where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]

47 “aIf your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into 1bhell,

48 awhere their worm does not die, and bthe fire is not quenched.

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire.

50 “Salt is good; but aif the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you 1make it salty again? bHave salt in yourselves, and cbe at peace with one another.”