The phrase “gnashing of teeth” in the Bible often symbolizes great anguish, despair, or judgment, typically in the context of punishment or suffering. It is used to convey deep emotional distress and regret, particularly in relation to the fate of the unrighteous or those who reject God.
### Biblical References:
1. **Matthew 13:41-42**: “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
2. **Matthew 22:13**: “Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
3. **Matthew 25:30**: “And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
4. **Luke 13:28**: “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.”
The gnashing of teeth is often associated with the consequences of rejecting God’s grace or failing to live righteously. It evokes a vivid image of hopelessness in judgment, contrasting the joy of those who are saved.