Is “an eye for an eye makes everyone blind” in the Bible?

The saying “An eye for an eye makes everyone blind” is often quoted as if it were from the Bible, but it actually is not. This phrase is generally attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, who used it to criticize revenge and cycles of violence. While Gandhi’s point carries a moral lesson about forgiveness, the Bible itself does not use this wording. Instead, Scripture speaks of “an eye for an eye” within a very specific context, and Jesus Himself later clarified its true meaning.

The phrase appears in the Old Testament law in passages such as Exodus 21:23–25, which says, “But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (ESV). This principle, often called the lex talionis (law of retaliation), was meant to provide a fair system of justice. In the ancient world, punishments could easily become excessive—if someone injured another person, that person’s family might retaliate far beyond what was reasonable. By stating “eye for eye, tooth for tooth,” God was setting a limit. The punishment had to match the crime, neither too little nor too harsh. This was not meant to encourage personal revenge but rather to establish justice in Israel’s legal system.

By the time of Jesus, however, many people misunderstood “eye for an eye,” using it to justify personal vengeance. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus corrected this thinking. He said in Matthew 5:38–39, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (ESV). Jesus was not abolishing justice in courts of law, but He was showing God’s people that personal relationships should be guided by love, mercy, and forgiveness rather than retaliation. Paul echoes this in Romans 12:19, saying, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’”

The Bible consistently warns against unchecked revenge. Proverbs 20:22 says, “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you” (ESV). This shows that God desires His people to trust Him to bring justice rather than taking matters into their own hands. In a fallen world, cycles of revenge only deepen hatred and suffering. Instead, Christians are called to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).

So, while “an eye for an eye makes everyone blind” is not a biblical statement, the Bible’s teaching supports a similar idea: retaliation escalates destruction, but mercy leads to peace. God’s law ensured fairness and protected people from excessive punishment, while Jesus’ teaching went even further, calling His followers to forgive others just as God has forgiven them. The true biblical message is not about blindness, but about how God’s justice and grace work together to break the cycle of revenge.