The invention provides an instrument for endoscopic surgery comprising a shaft tube (10), a pull rod (12) which can move axially inside the shaft tube (10) and jaws (20) located at the distal end which are mounted on a single hinge pin (24) and can be pivoted towards each other. Relative axial motion of the shaft tube (10) and the pull rod (12) is converted into the pivot motion of the jaws (20) via contact eccentric to the hinge pin (24). The hinge pin (24) is mounted on the distal end of the pull rod (12). Each jaw (20) has a nib (34) which protrudes radially eccentric to the hinge pin (24). Each nib (34) engages in a cut-out (32) in a sheath (24, 124). The cut-outs (32) are covered by the shaft tube (10).
