18:6a–c
Verse 18:6 contains a comparison that has some implied information. Before you begin to translate 18:6, read the information below and consider the best way in your language to translate this entire comparison. (Do not miss the discussion further below about the meaning of the words and phrases in the three parts of 18:6.)
In 18:6, Jesus talked about two bad things:
(a) a bad crime: causing a child to sin
(b) a bad punishment: drowning in the sea
Jesus said that the punishment of (b) is better than the implied punishment for (a). To say it another way, the punishment for (a) is worse than the punishment of (b).
Languages indicate such comparisons in various ways. One way is the way the Berean Standard Bible translates it. Here are some other ways:
• One punishment is big. The other is little. For example:
6aBut if anyone causes to sin one of these little ones who believes in me, ⌊God⌋ will give him a really big punishment. 6bIf people tied a big stone around the neck of a person who did that 6cand threw him in the ocean so that he drowned, 6bthat would be a little punishment.
• One punishment is bad. Another thing is very bad or worse. For example:
6bIt is ⌊a⌋ bad ⌊punishment⌋ for someone to have a great millstone fastened around his neck 6cand to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 6a⌊But⌋ if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin ⌊he will receive a worse punishment⌋.
You should translate this comparison in a way that is natural in your language.
18:6a
But: There is a contrast here. The contrast is between doing a good thing (welcoming a child) in 18:5 and doing a bad thing (causing a child to sin) in 18:6. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction But.
if anyone: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as if anyone are the same as the words in 18:5a. You may want to use the same term here as in 18:5. For example:
anyone who (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
the person who
-or-
if someone
causes…to stumble: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as causes…to stumble is used here with a figurative meaning.
There are several ways to interpret this verb:
(1) It refers to causing a believer to sin. For example:
if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin (NET Bible)
(Revised Standard Version, New International Version, NET Bible, English Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004))
(2) It refers to causing a believer to stop believing. For example:
If anyone should cause one of these little ones to lose his faith in me (Good News Translation)
(Good News Translation, New Living Translation (1996), God’s Word)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with the majority of English versions.
Here are some other ways to translate this verb:
makes…sin
-or-
causes…to fall into sin (New Living Translation (2004))
This same verb occurs in 5:29a–b .
one of these little ones who believe in Me: The phrase one of these little ones refers to the same type of person as “a little child like this” in 18:5a. This means that Jesus used the term these little ones in a figurative sense. He was referring to people who are humble like children. He was referring to people of all ages who believe in him, both children and adults.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
one of these ⌊people who are like⌋ little children who believe in me
-or-
one of these believers who ⌊are like⌋ little children
-or-
These little ones believe in me. (God’s Word)
18:6b
it would be better for him: This clause introduces one half of a comparison of two punishments. The other half (what would be worse for him) is not stated. Both punishments are bad, but drowning is better, or not as bad.
If you are not able to make a comparison like this in your language, see the discussion above in 18:6a–c.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
it would be better ⌊in comparison⌋ for him
-or-
it would be less bad for him
-or-
a punishment that would not be as bad for him would be to have
to have…hung around his neck: This verb means “to hang” something, as you would hang a lamp from a hook or a necklace around your neck.
This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
to have…fastened around his neck (English Standard Version)
• Use an active verb. For example:
for someone to fasten/tie…to his neck
a large millstone: This phrase refers to a type of stone that was used to grind wheat seeds into flour. Specifically, it was a large, round stone meant to be pulled by a donkey so that it rolled over the seeds and crushed them. It was very heavy.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
a very large grinding stone
-or-
a heavy stone (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
a large stone (New Century Version) a donkey pulling a millstone
18:6c
to be drowned: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to be drowned means “to sink” something in water. In this context, a person who was thrown into the sea with a large stone tied around his neck would sink and would not be able to breathe air. So he would die under the water.
This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
to be drowned
• Use an active verb. For example:
so that he drowns
in the depths of the sea: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in the depths means “in the deepest part.”
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
in the deepest part of the ocean (Contemporary English Version)
General Comment on 18:6c
The Jews thought that drowning in the sea was a terrible way to die. They thought this in part because the body could not be buried and mourned over. You may want to include a footnote to explain some of this information. Here is an example footnote:
The Jews thought that drowning in the depths of the sea was one of the worst ways to die. So Jesus showed that causing a believer to sin was very bad indeed, because God would punish that person in a way that was worse than drowning in the depths of the sea.
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