9:49

salted with fire: This figure of speech could be understood in two different ways. (1) If the expression is connected with the statements Jesus just made, as recorded at Mr 9:43-48, it would refer to destruction by the fire of Gehenna. Jesus might be alluding to what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, in the vicinity of the Dead (Salt) Sea, when God “made it rain sulfur and fire” on those cities. (Ge 19:24) In this context, Jesus’ statement “everyone must be salted with fire” would mean that all who allow their hands, feet, or eyes to stumble them or others into unfaithfulness would be salted with the fire of Gehenna, or eternal destruction. (2) If the expression “salted with fire” is connected with what is said next, as recorded at Mr 9:50, then Jesus may have been speaking of a fire that would come upon his followers and work for their good, promoting peaceful relations among them. In this context, everyone​—that is, all his disciples​—would be purified and cleansed by Jehovah’s Word, which burns up all falsehood and error, and also by the fire of persecution or trials, which test and purify one’s loyalty and devotion to Jehovah. (Jer 20:8, 9; 23:29; 1Pe 1:6, 7; 4:12, 13) Jesus may well have had in mind both of the ideas just discussed.