(A)“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but (B)whoever causes one of these (C)little ones who believe in me to sin,[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Temptations to Sin

“Woe to the world for (D)temptations to sin![b] (E)For it is necessary that temptations come, (F)but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! (G)And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into (H)the eternal fire. (I)And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the (J)hell[c] of fire.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:6 Greek causes… to stumble; also verses 8, 9
  2. Matthew 18:7 Greek stumbling blocks
  3. Matthew 18:9 Greek Gehenna

And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.(A)

Causing to Stumble

“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.(B) Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!(C) If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,(D) cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble,(E) gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.(F)

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