Mark 9:42

Legacy Standard Bible

"And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away

King James Version (1611)
And whosoeuer shall offend one of these litle ones that beleeue in me, it is better for him, that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and he were cast into the Sea.

King James Version
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

English Standard Version
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

New American Standard Bible
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him if a heavy millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea.

New Century Version
"If one of these little children believes in me, and someone causes that child to sin, it would be better for that person to have a large stone tied around his neck and be drowned in the sea.

Amplified Bible
"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe and trust in Me to stumble [that is, to sin or lose faith], it would be better for him if a heavy millstone [one requiring a donkey's strength to turn it] were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.

Berean Standard Bible
But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

Contemporary English Version
It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin. Those people would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me — it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the sea.

Darby Translation
And whosoever shall be a snare to one of the little ones who believe [in me], it were better for him if a millstone were hung about his neck, and he cast into the sea.

Easy-to-Read Version
"If one of these little children believes in me, and someone causes that child to sin, it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be drowned in the sea.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And whosoeuer shal offend one of these litle ones, that beleeue in me, it were better for him rather, that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and that he were cast into the sea.

George Lamsa Translation
And whoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it were better for him that an ass'' mill stone were hanged on his neck and then he were thrown into the sea.

Good News Translation
"If anyone should cause one of these little ones to lose faith in me, it would be better for that person to have a large millstone tied around the neck and be thrown into the sea.

Lexham English Bible
"And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it is better for him if instead a large millstone is placed around his neck and he is thrown into the sea.

Literal Translation
And whoever causes one of these little ones that believe in Me to offend, it is good for him if rather a millstone be laid about his neck, and he be thrown into the sea.

American Standard Version
And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Bible in Basic English
And whoever is a cause of trouble to one of these little ones who have faith in me, it would be better for him if a great stone was put round his neck and he was dropped into the sea.

Hebrew Names Version
Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

International Standard Version
"If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.Matthew 18:6; Luke 17:1;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And every one who shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it had been better [fn] for him that an ass-millstone had been set to his neck, and he had been cast forth into the sea.

Murdock Translation
And whoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe in me to stumble, it were better for him, if a millstone were put to his neck, and he cast into the sea.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And whosoeuer shall offende one of these litle ones, that beleue in me, it were better for him, if a mylstone were hanged about his necke, and he were cast into the sea.

English Revised Version
And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

World English Bible
Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And whosoever shall offend one of the little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Weymouth's New Testament
"And whoever shall occasion the fall of one of these little ones who believe, he would be better off if, with a millstone round his neck, he were lying at the bottom of the sea.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And who euer schal sclaundre oon of these litle that bileuen in me, it were betere to hym that a mylne stoon `of assis were don aboute his necke, and he were cast in to the see.

Update Bible Version
And whoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe in me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Webster's Bible Translation
And whoever shall cause one of [these] little ones that believe in me, to fall into sin, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

New English Translation
"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 tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

New King James Version
Matthew 18:6-9; Luke 17:1,2">[xr] "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

New Living Translation
"But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.

New Life Bible
Whoever is the reason for one of these little ones who believes in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large stone put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

New Revised Standard
"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 hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, whosoever shall cause to stumble one of these little ones that believe, it is, seemly, for him, rather, if there is hung a large millstone about his neck, and he is cast into the sea.

Douay-Rheims Bible
(9-41) And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me: it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea.

Revised Standard Version
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And whosoever shall offende one of these lytelons yt beleve in me it were better for him yt a mylstone were hanged aboute his necke and yt he he were cast into ye see:

Young's Literal Translation
and whoever may cause to stumble one of the little ones believing in me, better is it for him if a millstone is hanged about his neck, and he hath been cast into the sea.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And who so offendeth one of these litle ones that beleue in me, it were better for him, that a mylstone were haged aboute his neck, and he cast in to the see.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but if any one shall cause the meanest of those, who believe in me, to transgress, it had been better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

THE MESSAGE
"On the other hand, if you give one of these simple, childlike believers 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.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But here's a warning and you better listen close. If anyone causes one of these little ones to abandon their faith and follow the outlaw's trail, well, it would be better for that cowboy if he was tied to an anvil and thrown in the ocean.

Contextual Overview

⁴¹For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name because you are of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward. ⁴²"And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. ⁴³And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, ⁴⁴[and where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] ⁴⁵And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, ⁴⁶[and where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] ⁴⁷And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, ⁴⁸where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ⁴⁹"For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

offend: Matthew 18:6, Matthew 18:10, Luke 17:1, Luke 17:2, Romans 14:13, Romans 15:21, Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 8:10-13, 1 Corinthians 10:32, 1 Corinthians 10:33, 2 Corinthians 6:3, Philippians 1:10, 1 Timothy 5:14, 2 Peter 2:2

it: Matthew 25:45, Matthew 25:46, Acts 9:4, Acts 26:11-14, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9, Revelation 6:9, Revelation 6:10, Revelation 16:6, Revelation 16:7

Reciprocal: Matthew 10:42 - one

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me,.... Whosoever shall do the, least injury to the meanest person that believes in Christ, who are mean both in their own eyes, and the eyes of others; for Christ is not speaking of little children in age, who are neither capable of believing in Christ, nor are they ready to take offence; but of such as belong to him; his disciples and followers, of whom he is speaking in the preceding verse:

it is better for him that a mill stone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea; and drowned there: the allusion is to the drowning of malefactors, by tying a stone, or any heavy thing about their necks, and casting them into the sea. Casaubon, and others, have shown out of Heathen writers, that this has been a practice of some nations, particularly the Grecians: Jerom says, Christ speaks according to the custom of the country; this being a punishment of the greatest crimes among the Jews; but I have no where met with it in their writings: Christ's sense is, that such who give offence to any of his ministers or people, how mean soever they may appear, shall undergo the severest punishment;

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 18:7-9. Millstone. See Matthew 18:6.

Mark 9:44-46

Their worm - This figure is taken from Isaiah 66:24. See the notes at that passage. In describing the great prosperity. of the kingdom of the Messiah, Isaiah says that the people of God “shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against God.” Their enemies would be overcome. They would be slain. The people of God would triumph. The figure is taken from heaps of the dead slain in battle; and the prophet says that the number would be so great that their worm - the worm feeding on the dead - would not die, would live long - as long as there were carcasses to be devoured; and that the fire which was used to burn the bodies of the dead would continue long to burn, and would not be extinguished until they were consumed. The figure, therefore, denotes great misery, and certain and terrible destruction. In these verses it is applied to the state beyond the grave, and is intended to denote that the destruction of the wicked will be awful, widespread, and eternal.

It is not to be supposed that there will be any “real” worm in hell - perhaps no material fire; nor can it be told what was particularly intended by the undying worm. There is no authority for applying it, as is often done, to remorse of conscience, anymore than to any other of the pains and reflections of hell. It is a mere image of loathsome, dreadful, and “eternal” suffering. In what that suffering will consist it is probably beyond the power of any living mortal to imagine. The word their, in the phrase “their worm,” is used merely to keep up the “image” or “figure.” Dead bodies putrefying in that valley would be overrun with worms, while the “fire” would not be confined to them, but would spread to other objects kindled by combustibles through all the valley. It is “not” meant, therefore, that every particular sufferer has a special worm, or has particular sins that cause remorse of conscience. That is a truth, but it does not appear that it is intended to be taught here.

Mark 9:49

Every one shall be salted with fire - Perhaps no passage in the New Testament has given more perplexity to commentators than this, and it may be impossible now to fix its precise meaning. The common idea affixed to it has been, that as salt preserves from putrefaction, so fire, applied to the wicked in hell, will have the property of preserving them in existence, or they will “be” preserved amid the sprinkling of fire, to be continually in their sufferings a sacrifice to the justice of God; but this meaning is not quite satisfactory. Another opinion has been, that as salt was sprinkled on the victim preparatory to its being devoted to God (see Leviticus 2:13), so would “the apostles,” by trials, calamities, etc., represented here by “fire,” be prepared as a sacrifice and offering to God. Probably the passage has no reference at all to future punishment; and the difficulty of interpreting it has arisen from supposing it to be connected with the 48th verse, or given as a “reason” for what is said in “that” verse, rather than considering it as designed to illustrate the “general design” of the passage. The main scope of the passage was not to discourse of future punishment; that is brought in incidentally. The chief object of the passage was -

1. To teach the apostles that “other men,” not “with them,” might be true Christians, Mark 9:38-39.
2. That they ought to be disposed to look favorably upon the slightest evidence that they “might be true believers,” Mark 9:41.
3. That they ought to avoid giving “offence” to such feeble and obscure Christians, Mark 9:42.
4. That “everything” calculated to give offence, or to dishonor religion, should be removed, Mark 9:43. And,
5. That everything which would endanger their salvation should be sacrificed; that they should “deny” themselves in every way in order to obtain eternal life. In this way they would be “preserved” to eternal life.

The word “fire,” here, therefore denotes self-denials, sacrifices, trials, in keeping ourselves from the gratification of the flesh. As if he had said, “Look at the sacrifice on the altar. It is an offering to God, about to be presented to him. It is sprinkled with “salt, emblematic of purity, of preservation and of fitting it, therefore, for a sacrifice.” So “you” are devoted to God. You are sacrifices, victims, offerings to him in his service. To make you “acceptable” offerings, every thing must be done to “preserve” you from sin and to “purify” you. Self-denials, subduing the lusts, enduring trials, removing offences, are the proper “preservatives” in the service of God. Doing this, you will be acceptable offerings and be saved; without this, you will be “unfit” for his eternal service and will be lost.”

Mark 9:50

Lost its saltness ... - See the notes at Matthew 5:13.

Have salt in yourselves - Have the preserving, purifying principle always; the principles of denying yourselves, of suppressing pride, ambition, contention, etc., and thus you will be an acceptable offering to God.

Have peace - Avoid contention and quarrelling, struggling for places, honors, and office, and seek each other’s welfare, and religion will be honored and preserved in the world.