One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come!
- 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!
- NKJV Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!
- NASB Now He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to one through whom they come!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus warns that temptations to sin are inevitable, but woe to the one who causes them. Leading others into sin is gravely serious.
Overview
Turning to His disciples, Jesus acknowledges that stumbling blocks will come in a fallen world, yet holds accountable those who cause them. The warning guards the community of faith against those who lead others astray. It reflects God's tender concern for the vulnerable among His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 18:7“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
- Rom 14:13Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.
- 1 Cor 11:19For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.
- Rom 16:17Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.
- 1 Cor 8:13Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.
- Matt 16:23But he turned, and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.”
- Rom 14:20–21Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.
- 1 Cor 10:32Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;
- 2 Th 2:10–12and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
- Rev 13:14–18He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.
- Rev 2:20But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
- Rev 2:14But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 17:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.