It would be betterλυσιτελεῖfor himαὐτῷifεἰa millstoneλίθος μυλικὸςwere hungπερίκειταιaroundπερὶhisαὐτοῦneckτὸν τράχηλονandκαὶhe were thrownἔρριπταιintoεἰςthe seaτὴν θάλασσανthanἢthatἵναhe should causeσκανδαλίσῃoneἕναof theseτούτωνlittle onesτῶν μικρῶνto stumble.σκανδαλίσῃ
Luke 17:2
Study it in the app“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.”
With the Greek beneath
Luke 17:2, word by word
- It would be betterλυσιτελεῖlysitelei
be better
Be better, be more useful, be worth more.
Where else “lysitelei” appears- a millstoneλίθοςlithos
stone
A piece of hard rock, loose or cut.
Where else “lithos” appears- a millstoneμυλικὸςmylikos
millstone
Of a mill; "millstone".
Where else “mylikos” appears- were hungπερίκειταιperikeitai
be hung around
Have something hung around one; be surrounded.
Where else “perikeitai” appears- neckτράχηλονtrachēlon
neck
Neck.
Where else “trachēlon” appears- he were thrownἔρριπταιerriptai
throw, cast down
Throw, cast, hurl down; in the passive, lie thrown down, abandoned.
Where else “erriptai” appears- the seaθάλασσανthalassan
sea
Sea; also a large lake, such as the Sea of Galilee.
Where else “thalassan” appears- he should causeσκανδαλίσῃskandalisēi
cause to stumble
To make someone fall into sin or lose faith.
Where else “skandalisēi” appears- oneἕναhena
one
The quantity one, or a single one within a group.
Where else “hena” appears- little onesμικρῶνmikrōn
small
Of little size, little age or little importance before others.
Where else “mikrōn” appears
Parallel passages
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
Causes of stumbling
A similar saying; scholars discuss whether it is the same saying in another setting or a repeated one.
See them side by side
Luke 17:1-2
1And he said to his disciples, “It is impossible that stumbling blocks should not come; but woe to the one through whom they come! 2It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.
6But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it is better for him that a donkey’s millstone be hung around his neck and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! For it is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes! 8And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter into life maimed or lame than having two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter into life with one eye than having two eyes to be thrown into fiery Gehenna.
42And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be far better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life maimed than having the two hands to go away into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. 44where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame than having the two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. 46where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 49For everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good; but if the salt becomes saltless, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
The context
1And he said to his disciples, “It is impossible that stumbling blocks should not come; but woe to the one through whom they come!
2 · This verse (above)
3Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he changes his mind, forgive him.
To study Luke 17 in a group
1. What it says
Of the ten lepers who are cleansed, how many come back to give thanks, and what does Jesus say to him? (vv. 12-19)
2. What it means
Jesus points out that the one who returned was a Samaritan, a foreigner (vv. 16-18). What does that say about who recognizes what God has done?
3. How I live it
Jesus says to forgive a brother who changes his mind, even seven times a day (vv. 3-4). Whom do you need to forgive this week?