Section 9:42–50
Jesus gave various warnings
In this section, Jesus warned his disciples about several things. A believer should not cause another person to sin (9:42). A believer should not allow causes of sin to remain in his own life (9:43–48). Jesus warned believers that they would suffer because they follow him (9:49).
It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
Jesus warned his followers with various sayings
-or-
Various warnings
-or-
Temptations to Sin (Good News Bible)
There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 18:6–9 and Luke 17:1–2.
Paragraph 9:42–48
The Greek text does not indicate how much time occurred between the previous paragraph and this one. Both paragraphs include things that Jesus said, but he may have said them on separate occasions. The Berean Standard Bible begins this section with the word “But.” If you need an expression to introduce this paragraph, you should use a general expression that does not indicate time. For example:
Jesus also said
9:42
This verse compares two terrible situations:
(a) death in the sea with a millstone tied around the neck, and
(b) causing a childlike believer to sin.
The verse indicates that option (b) is much worse than option (a). A person should prefer to drown rather than to cause a childlike believer to sin. This probably implies that the punishment for (b) is much worse than drowning. (The implied punishment or penalty is mentioned in several commentaries. For example, Lane (page 345) says, “In such an eventuality, Jesus implies, the punishment incurred will be so severe it would have been better for a man if he had been drowned before he could have committed so grievous an offense.”)
Languages can indicate this comparison in various ways. Some other ways are:
• One thing is bad. Another thing is worse. For example:
42bIt is bad punishment for someone to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck. 42aBut if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin he will receive a worse punishment.
• One thing is bad. The other is good in comparison. For example:
42aIf anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, that is very bad and the punishment will be severe. 42bIt is good in comparison to have a millstone tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea.
You should translate this comparison in a way that is natural in your language.
9:42a
if anyone: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as if anyone are the same as the words in 9:41. There the Berean Standard Bible translates these words as “if anyone” and the New American Standard Bible translates them as “whoever.” You may want to use the same expression here as in 9:41.
causes…to stumble: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as causes…to stumble is used with a figurative meaning.
This verb can be interpreted in two ways:
(1) The verb refers to causing a believer to sin. For example, the NET Bible says:
If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin
(Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, New Century Version, English Standard Version)
(2) The verb refers to causing a believer to stop believing. For example, the Good News Bible says:
If anyone should cause one of these little ones to lose faith in me
(Good News Bible, New Living Translation, 1996 edition, God’s Word)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
stumble: As mentioned above, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as stumble is used in a figurative sense to refer to offending or disobeying God. A person can stumble by doing or thinking something that God does not approve of. He can sin by not doing what God wants him to do. It is helpful to translate the verb stumble with a general term that can include any offense against God.
these little ones who believe in Me: The phrase little ones literally refers to children. Here Jesus used the phrase these little ones who believe in Me figuratively. He referred to childlike believers. They are like children because they are innocent and weak in certain ways. They need protection and help. The expression these little ones can refer to people of any age, both children and adults.
If people in your area will think that the words these little ones only refer to literal children, you may want to:
• Include some implied information. For example:
one of these childlike believers
-or-
one of these innocent/vulnerable people who believes in me
• Include a footnote For example:
The phrase “one of these little ones who believe in me” refers to a childlike follower of Jesus (Mark 9:35–37, Matthew 18:4–5).
believe: To believe in Jesus means for a person “to entrust himself to Jesus,” that is, “to place himself in the complete care of Jesus.”
Here are some other ways to translate this:
rely/depend on
-or-
trust in
-or-
have faith in
-or-
have confidence in
Your language may use an idiom for this meaning. See also believe, Meaning 2, in the Glossary.
9:42b
it would be better for him: This is a comparison. The consequences for a person who causes a believer to sin (9:42a) are so bad that drowning in the sea (9:42b) is better. See some ways to translate this comparison at 9:42a–b above.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
it would be preferable for him
-or-
in comparison, it would be good for him
a large millstone: A millstone is a heavy stone used for grinding grain to make flour. The Greek words are literally “a donkey millstone.” This stone was probably over 200 kilograms (450 pounds) and circular with a hole in the middle. A donkey pushed a bar tied to the stone to cause it to rotate and grind the grain. The very large millstone pictured below probably weighed over 500 kilograms.
If people in your area do not use stones to grind grain, you may want to use a general term for a stone of this size.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
a heavy stone (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
a large stone (New Century Version)
hung around his neck: This clause is a passive. Someone tied the stone to the neck of the person before he was thrown into the sea. If a passive clause is not natural in your language, use an active clause with a general reference to a person or people doing the action. For example:
which someone tied around his neck
-or-
which they tied around his neck
Here is another way to translate this:
hung from his neck
If possible, keep the focus on the person who had the stone tied around his neck.
9:42c
to be thrown into the sea: The implied result of being thrown into the sea is that the person dies/drowns. For example:
be thrown into the sea and drown
This clause is passive. It is not stated who threw the person. Passive clauses are not natural in some languages. If that is true in your language, use an active clause with a general reference to a person or people doing the action. For example:
if someone threw him into the sea
-or-
if they threw him into the sea
If possible, keep the focus on the person being thrown.
be thrown: In Greek the form of the verb here probably indicates that being thrown into the sea was to happen before causing someone to sin. The person would die in the sea, and that would prevent him from causing the childlike believer to sin. For example:
he had been cast into the sea (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
he were thrown into the sea…so that he could not do that
General Comment on 9:42b–c
The event in 9:42c occurs before the event in 9:42b. It might be more natural in your language to have the event in 9:42c before the event in 9:42b in your translation. For example:
it would be better for him if someone were to 42cplace a large millstone around his neck and 42bthrow him into the sea
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