Matthew 18:6

NETBible

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea.

NIV ©

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

NASB ©

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

NLT ©

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck.

MSG ©

"But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you'll soon wish you hadn't. You'd be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck.

BBE ©

But whoever is a cause of trouble to one of these little ones who have faith in me, it would be better for him to have a great stone fixed to his neck, and to come to his end in the deep sea.

NRSV ©

"If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea.

NKJV ©

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.


KJV
But
<1161>
whoso
<3739> <302>
shall offend
<4624> (5661)
one
<1520>
of these
<5130>
little ones
<3398>
which
<3588>
believe
<4100> (5723)
in
<1519>
me
<1691>_,
it were better
<4851> (5719)
for him
<846>
that
<2443>
a millstone
<3458> <3684>
were hanged
<2910> (5686)
about
<1909>
his
<846>
neck
<5137>_,
and
<2532>
[that] he were drowned
<2670> (5686)
in
<1722>
the depth
<3989>
of the sea
<2281>_.
NASB ©

but whoever
<3739>
<302> causes
<4624>
one
<1520>
of these
<3778>
little
<3398>
ones
<3398>
who believe
<4100>
in Me to stumble
<4624>
, it would be better
<4851>
for him to have a heavy
<3684>
millstone
<3458>
hung
<2910>
around
<4012>
his neck
<5137>
, and to be drowned
<2670>
in the depth
<3989>
of the sea
<2281>
.
NET [draft] ITL
“But
<1161>
if anyone causes
<4624>
one
<1520>
of these
<5130>
little
<3398>
ones who believe
<4100>
in
<1519>
me
<1691>
to sin, it would be better
<4851>
for him
<846>
to have a huge millstone
<3458>

<3684>
hung
<2910>
around
<4012>
his
<846>
neck
<5137>
and
<2532>
to be drowned
<2670>
in
<1722>
the open
<3989>
sea
<2281>
.
GREEK
ov
<3739>
R-NSM
d
<1161>
CONJ
an
<302>
PRT
skandalish
<4624> (5661)
V-AAS-3S
ena
<1520>
A-ASM
twn
<3588>
T-GPM
mikrwn
<3398>
A-GPM
toutwn
<5130>
D-GPM
twn
<3588>
T-GPM
pisteuontwn
<4100> (5723)
V-PAP-GPM
eiv
<1519>
PREP
eme
<1691>
P-1AS
sumferei
<4851> (5719)
V-PAI-3S
autw
<846>
P-DSM
ina
<2443>
CONJ
kremasyh
<2910> (5686)
V-APS-3S
mulov
<3458>
N-NSM
onikov
<3684>
A-NSM
peri
<4012>
PREP
ton
<3588>
T-ASM
trachlon
<5137>
N-ASM
autou
<846>
P-GSM
kai
<2532>
CONJ
katapontisyh
<2670> (5686)
V-APS-3S
en
<1722>
PREP
tw
<3588>
T-DSN
pelagei
<3989>
N-DSN
thv
<3588>
T-GSF
yalasshv
<2281>
N-GSF

NETBible

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea.

NET Notes

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

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.

sn The punishment of drowning with a heavy weight attached is extremely gruesome and reflects Jesus’ views concerning those who cause others who believe in him to sin.

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.”