1He said then to his disciples: "It is impossible for stumbling blocks not to come, but woe to the one through whom they come. [17:2] It is more advantageous for him if a millstone — of the kind turned by an animal — is hung around his neck and he has been thrown into the sea, than that he cause one of these little ones to stumble. [17:3] Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. [17:4] And if seven times in the day he sins against you, and seven times turns back to you saying, 'I repent,' you will forgive him."
LUK 17:1-4
Temptations and Trespasses
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, honor and shame were central to social interactions. Stumbling blocks were not merely obstacles but traps that could destroy a person’s reputation or lead them into moral failure. For Jesus’ disciples, the warning about causing others to stumble carried weight in a culture where communal harmony and mutual accountability were paramount. The image of a millstone around one’s neck was a vivid metaphor for the severe consequences of leading others astray, evoking the heavy, inescapable burden of guilt. Forgiveness, however, was countercultural in a society where retaliation and honor-restoration were expected. The command to forgive repeatedly, even seven times a day, challenged the disciples to embody a radical ethic of mercy, reflecting God’s character rather than societal norms. This teaching would have resonated deeply in a context where personal and communal relationships were tightly interwoven, and where repentance signaled a genuine turning away from wrongdoing.
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How other translations render this
LUK 17:1
- KJV
- Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
- BSB
- Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
- Koinōnos
- He said then to his disciples: "It is impossible for stumbling blocks not to come, but woe to the one through whom they come.
LUK 17:2
- 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.
- BSB
- It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
- Koinōnos
- It is more advantageous for him if a millstone — of the kind turned by an animal — is hung around his neck and he has been thrown into the sea, than that he cause one of these little ones to stumble.
LUK 17:3
- KJV
- Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
- BSB
- Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
- Koinōnos
- Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
LUK 17:4
- KJV
- And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
- BSB
- Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
- Koinōnos
- And if seven times in the day he sins against you, and seven times turns back to you saying, 'I repent,' you will forgive him.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
LUK 17:1
- stumbling blocks:The word translated 'stumbling blocks' originally referred to a trap or snare set for an enemy or animal, implying something that causes one to trip or fall unexpectedly.
LUK 17:2
- It is better:The phrase translated 'It is better' carries the sense of being more profitable or advantageous, implying a calculation of what would be more beneficial.
- of a mill:The term used here for 'mill' refers specifically to a large millstone, often turned by an animal, indicating a heavy and destructive object.
LUK 17:3
- now:The word translated 'now' is actually the verb 'to sin' or 'to miss the mark,' indicating an action of wrongdoing rather than a temporal adverb.