1 Samuel 2:24

2:24 This ought not to be, ¹  my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the Lord’s people is not good.

Malachi 2:8

2:8 You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law; ²  you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,” ³  says the Lord who rules over all.

Matthew 18:6-7

18:6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, ⁴  it would be better for him to have a huge millstone ⁵  hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. ⁶  18:7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It ⁷  is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.

Romans 14:15

14:15 For if your brother or sister ⁸  is distressed because of what you eat, ⁹  you are no longer walking in love. ¹⁰  Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.

Romans 14:21

14:21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble. ¹¹ 

Romans 14:1

Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance

14:1 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. ¹² 

Colossians 1:11-13

1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of ¹³  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully 1:12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share ¹⁴  in the saints’ ¹⁵  inheritance in the light. 1:13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁶ 

¹ tn Heb “no.”

² tn The definite article embedded within בַּתּוֹרָה (battorah) may suggest that the Torah is in mind and not just “ordinary” priestly instruction, though it might refer to the instruction previously mentioned (v. 7).

³ tn Or “the Levitical covenant.”

³ tn The Greek term σκανδαλίζω (skandalizw), translated here “causes to sin” can also be translated “offends” or “causes to stumble.”

⁴ tn Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Mark 9:42.

⁵ tn The term translated “open” here (πελάγει, pelagei) refers to the open sea as opposed to a stretch of water near a coastline (BDAG 794 s.v. πέλαγος). A similar English expression would be “the high seas.”

⁴ tn Grk “For it.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.

⁵ tn Grk “brother.”

⁶ tn Grk “on account of food.”

⁷ tn Grk “according to love.”

⁶ tc A large number of mss, some of them quite important (Ì^46vid א² B D F G Ψ 0209 33 1881 Ï lat sa), read “or to be offended or to be made weak” after “to stumble.” The shorter reading “to stumble” is found only in Alexandrian mss (א* A C 048 81 945 1506 1739 pc bo). Although external evidence favors inclusion, internal evidence points to a scribal expansion, perhaps reminiscent of 1 Cor 8:11-13. The shorter reading is therefore preferred.

⁷ tn Grk “over opinions.” The qualifier “differing” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

⁸ tn The expression “for the display of” is an attempt to convey in English the force of the Greek preposition εἰς (eis) in this context.

⁹ tn BDAG 473 s.v. ἱκανόω states, “τινὰ εἴς τι someone for someth. Col 1:12.” The point of the text is that God has qualified the saints for a “share” or “portion” in the inheritance of the saints.

¹⁰ tn Grk “the inheritance of the saints.” The genitive noun τῶν ἁγίων (twn Jagiwn) is a possessive genitive: “the saints’ inheritance.”

¹⁰ tn Here αὐτοῦ (autou) has been translated as a subjective genitive (“he loves”).