Mark 9:42

Mark 9:42 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
• New International Version (NIV)“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

Context of Mark 9:42

40Whoever isn’t against us is for us. 41I can guarantee this truth: Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” “These little ones believe in me. It would be best for the person who causes one of them to lose faith to be thrown into the sea with a large stone hung around his neck. 43“So if your hand causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life disabled than to have two hands and go to hell, to the fire that cannot be put out.

Mark 9:42 word by word

καὶ ὃς ἂν σκανδαλίσῃ ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν τούτων τῶν πιστευόντων εἰς ἐμέ, καλόν ἐστιν αὐτῷ μᾶλλον εἰ περίκειται μύλος ὀνικὸς περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ βέβληται εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• whosoeverἄνan · ifG302
• whosoeverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• shall offendσκανδαλίζωskandalizō · to cause to stumbleG4624
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• ofὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ofπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• littleμικρόςmikros mikroteros · smallG3398
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• it isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• betterκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• betterμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
• for himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• thatεἰei · ifG1487
• a millstoneλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
• a millstoneμυλικόςmulikos · millstoneG3457
• were hangedπερίκειμαιperikeimai · to surroundG4029
• aboutπερίperi · aboutG4012
• neckτράχηλοςtrachēlos · neckG5137
• he were castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
• the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281

Cross-references for Mark 9:42

• Matthew 18:6“These little ones believe in me. It would be best for the person who causes one of them to lose faith to be drowned in the sea with a large stone hung around his neck.
• Luke 17:1Jesus told his disciples, “Situations that cause people to lose their faith are certain to arise. But how horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith!
• Romans 14:13So let’s stop criticizing each other. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.
• Romans 15:21As Scripture says, “Those who were never told about him will see, and those who never heard will understand.”
• Romans 16:17Brothers and sisters, I urge you to watch out for those people who create divisions and who make others fall away ⌞from the Christian faith⌟ by teaching doctrine that is not the same as you have learned. Stay away from them.
• 1 Corinthians 8:10For example, suppose someone with a weak conscience sees you, who have this knowledge, eating in the temple of a false god. Won’t you be encouraging that person to eat food offered to a false god?
• 1 Corinthians 10:32Don’t cause others to stumble, whether they are Jewish, Greek, or members of God’s church.
• 2 Corinthians 6:3We don’t give people any opportunity to find fault with how we serve.
• Philippians 1:10That way you will be able to determine what is best and be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.
• 1 Timothy 5:14So I want younger widows to marry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them.
• 2 Peter 2:2Many people will follow them in their sexual freedom and will cause others to dishonor the way of truth.
• Matthew 25:45“He will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you failed to do for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant ⌞they seemed⌟, you failed to do for me.’
• Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
• Acts 26:11I even went to each synagogue, punished believers, and forced them to curse ⌞the name of Jesus⌟. In my furious rage against them, I hunted them down in cities outside ⌞Jerusalem⌟.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:6Certainly, it is right for God to give suffering to those who cause you to suffer.
• Revelation 6:9When the lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of God’s word and the testimony they had given about him.

Commentaries on Mark 9:42

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 42-50Verses 42-50 See the notes at Matthew 18:7-9. Millstone. See Matthew 18:6. Mark 9:44-46 Their worm - This figure is taken from Isaiah 66:24. See the notes at that passage. In describing the great prosperity. of the kingdom of the Messiah, Isaiah says that the people of God “shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against God.” Their enemies would be overcome. They would be slain. The people of God would triumph. The…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 41-50Verses 41-50 It is repeatedly said of the wicked, Their worm dieth not, as well as, The fire is never quenched. Doubtless, remorse of conscience and keen self-reflection are this never-dying worm. Surely it is beyond compare better to undergo all possible pain, hardship, and self-denial here, and to be happy for ever hereafter, than to enjoy all kinds of worldly pleasure for a season, and to be miserable for ever. Like the sacrifices, we must be salted…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 42-50If anyone causes … sin: The repeated warning about causing sin connects these verses (9:42–43, 45, 47). Jesus did not mean that people should take these words literally. Cutting off a body part would not stop sin (see Matthew 15:10–20). Instead, Jesus warns that no sin is worth the punishment of hell. It is better to repent (turn away from sin), even when repentance is very painful, than to face hell.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4242. For whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me--or, shall cause them to stumble; referring probably to the effect which such unsavory disputes as they had held would have upon the inquiring and hopeful who came in contact with them, leading to the belief that after all they were no better than others. it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck--The word here is simply "millstone," without expressing of…Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 9:42

• Commandments
• Jesus, the Christ
• Millstone
• Persecution

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Foam
• Rising
• Teach
• Unbelief
• Worm
• Criticism of the Bible
• Drunkenness
• Jesus Christ
• John, the Apostle

Commentaries on Mark 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings