Matthew 18:8

In verses Matthew 18:8 and Matthew 18:9 we have one of the dualities or doublets in Matthew (Matthew 5:29-30). Jesus repeated his pungent sayings many times. Instead of εις γεενναν (Matthew 5:29) we have εις το πυρ το αιωνιον and at the end of verse Matthew 18:9 του πυρος is added to την γεενναν. This is the first use in Matthew of αιωνιος. We have it again in Matthew 19:16; Matthew 19:29 with ζοη, in Matthew 25:41 with πυρ, in Matthew 25:46 with κολασιν and ζοην. The word means ageless, without beginning or end as of God (Romans 16:26), without beginning as in Romans 16:25, without end as here and often. The effort to make it mean " αεονιαν" fire will make it mean " αεονιαν" life also. If the punishment is limited, ipso facto the life is shortened. In verse Matthew 18:9 also μονοφθαλμον occurs. It is an Ionic compound in Herodotus that is condemned by the Atticists, but it is revived in the vernacular Koine. Literally one-eyed. Here only and Mark 9:47 in the New Testament.