Mark 9:42

Jesus also said, “But if you cause someone who believes in me to sin, God will severely punish you, even if that person is socially unimportant like this little child. If someone tied a heavy stone around your neck and you were thrown {and threw you} into the sea, you would consider that was a severe punishment. But God will punish you more severely than that if you cause a person who believes in me to sin.

Translation for Translators

In The 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.

In Context

41Also think about this: Those who belong to me who help you in any way, even if they just give you a cup of water to drink because you follow me, the Messiah, will certainly be rewarded by God!”

43So, if you are wanting to use one of [MTY, PRS] your hands to sin, stop using your hand! Even if you have to cut your hand off and throw it away to avoid sinning, do it [HYP]! It is good that you not sin and that you live eternally, even though you lack one of your hands while you are here on earth. But it is not good that you sin and as a result God throws your whole body into hell. There the fires never go out!

Read all of Mark 9

Cross References

Matthew 18:6“If you cause someone who believes in me to sin, even if it is someone who is socially unimportant like this little child, God will severely punish you. If a heavy stone were fastened around your neck and you were thrown into the deep waters of the sea, people would consider that you had been severely punished. But God will punish you more severely than that if you cause someone to sin

Matthew 25:45I will reply, ‘The truth is that whenever you did not do anything to help any one of my people, even if they were unimportant people, it was as though you did not do anything to help me.’

Acts 9:4Immediately he fell down to the ground. Then he heard the voice of the Lord say to him, “Saul, Saul, ◄stop causing me to suffer!/why are you causing me to suffer?► [RHQ]”

Romans 14:13Since it is God who will judge everyone, we must stop saying that God should punish some of our fellow believers! Instead, you/we should decide that you/we will not do anything that would be an example that might cause fellow believers to stop trusting in God [DOU].

Romans 16:17My fellow believers, I exhort you that you beware of those people who are causing divisions among you and who cause people to turn away from God [MTY] because they teach things that are contrary to the message about Christ that you have learned (OR, that others taught you). Keep away from such people!

1 Corinthians 10:32Do not do anything that would hinder Jews or Greeks from becoming believers, and do not do things that would encourage members of God’s congregations to sin.

Matthew Henry on Mark 9:42-50

Pain to Be Preferred to Sin. 41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. 42 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. 43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Mark 9:42