An eye for an eye
An eye for an eye means punishing someone with the same harm they caused, often as revenge; it appears in the laws of Exodus in the Bible. In that setting, it sets a matching penalty rather than allowing unlimited retaliation.
Where it comes from
The biblical rule
The phrase appears in biblical laws that match a penalty to an injury. The principle puts a limit on punishment: the response should not exceed the harm done.
In Exodus, laws dealing with injuries describe penalties matched to the bodily harm suffered, including damage to an eye or a tooth.
In Exodus by Traditionally attributed to Moses
What it means now
Today the phrase often means returning harm for harm. It can express a demand for equal punishment or criticism of a cycle of revenge.
In the Sermon on the Mount in The Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus refers to the rule before teaching his listeners not to retaliate against someone who strikes them.
In The Gospel According to Matthew by Traditionally attributed to Matthew
How to use An eye for an eye
- Use it for a demand to repay harm with matching harm.
- Make clear whether you support or question that demand.
- Distinguish equal punishment from revenge that goes further.
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Does it mean the same thing as revenge?
In everyday speech, it often means revenge in kind. Its biblical setting is narrower: it describes a penalty matched to an injury. That distinction matters because the rule can restrain excessive punishment rather than simply encourage someone to strike back.
How is it connected to turning the other cheek?
Turning the other cheek is presented as an alternative to retaliation. In The Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus recalls the rule of matching injury with injury, then teaches a different response to being struck. The two phrases therefore often stand for opposing responses to harm.
Related terms
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