Luke 17:2

Luke 17:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
• English Standard Version (ESV)It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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 offend one of these little ones.
• New Living Translation (NLT)It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.

Context of Luke 17:2

1Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

Luke 17:2 word by word

λυσιτελεῖ αὐτῷ εἰ λίθος μυλικὸς περίκειται περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρριπται εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ἢ ἵνα σκανδαλίσῃ τῶν μικρῶν τούτων ἕνα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• It were betterλυσιτελεῖlusitelei · to profitG3081
• for himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• thatεἰei · ifG1487
• a millstoneμύλοςmulos · millstoneG3458
• ·ὀνικόςonikos · huge millstoneG3684
• were hangedπερίκειμαιperikeimai · to surroundG4029
• aboutπερίperi · aboutG4012
• neckτράχηλοςtrachēlos · neckG5137
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he castῥίπτωrhiptō̄ · to throw/lay downG4496
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
• thanἤē · orG2228
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• he should offendσκανδαλίζωskandalizō · to cause to stumbleG4624
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• of theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• little onesμικρόςmikros mikroteros · smallG3398

Cross-references for Luke 17:2

• Matthew 18:6“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
• Matthew 26:24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
• Mark 9:42“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.
• 1 Corinthians 9:15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.
• 2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
• Isaiah 40:11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
• Zechariah 13:7“Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
• Matthew 18:3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• John 21:15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
• 1 Corinthians 8:11So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
• 1 Corinthians 9:22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

Commentaries on Luke 17:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A mill-stone - That drowning a person with a stone tied about the neck was an ancient mode of punishment, see proved in the note on Matthew 18:6, Matthew 18:7; (note), to which let the following be added. To have a mill-stone hanged about the neck, was a common proverb. "Samuel saith, A man may marry, and after that addict himself to the study of the law. Rab. Jochanan saith, No: shall he addict himself to the study of the law with a mill-stone about his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2A millstone is a large, round stone with a hole in its center. People used it to grind grain in a mill. A millstone could weigh hundreds of pounds.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-101-2. (See Mt 18:6, 7).Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 17:2

• Jesus, the Christ
• Millstone
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Cast
• Luke, the Gospel of
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Martha
• Neck
• Year
• woe

Commentaries on Luke 17

• 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
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• 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