OET interlinear LUKE 17:1

17:1a

Jesus said to His disciples: There are different views about when Jesus said the things in this section to his disciples. He may have said them at a different time from the preceding section. It is good to connect this section to the preceding one in a way that will not imply a time connection. The BSB does this by not using a conjunction. The Greek text has a conjunction that versions suc as the RSV translate as “And.” Use a way that is natural in your language.

disciples: The Greek word that the BSB translates as disciples means “learners” who are in a special relationship with a teacher. The learners commit themselves to their teacher in order to learn from him and live according to his teaching and example. Disciples often lived with their teacher and followed him wherever he went.

Some ways to translate this are:

students/learners

apprentices

followers

See how you translated this term at 5:30a. See disciple in the Glossary for more information.

It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come is literally a double negative, “It is impossible for traps not to come.” If you would not use a double negative like this in your language, some other ways to say this are:

Snares will certainly come

Causes for falling are sure to come (NJB)

People will surely encounter/meet traps

There will indeed be causes for falling

stumbling blocks: The BSB expression stumbling blocks is the translation of one Greek word. This word literally means “traps” or “snares.” Some scholars prefer the meaning “stumbling stone” because of how the word is translated in the Greek Old Testament.Some scholars interpret this word skandala to mean “stumbling block/stone” because of the way corresponding Hebrew words are translated in the LXX. However, there are also clear instances of skandala being translated in the LXX with the sense of “trap.” See Stahlin, TDNT VII, p. 341.

In the New Testament this word is often used as a figure of speech. In this context it refers to things that tempt people to sin, that is, to disobey, distrust, or deny God.Scholars disagree about the nature and seriousness of the temptation that skandala refers to here: 1. Some Bible scholars believe that it refers to causes of sin in general. For example, Nolland says, “We need not think that some extreme form of sin or apostasy is in view here. The present saying has the same radical quality as Matthew 5:29–30. In the Lukan sequence it is the radical nature of the teaching that calls forth the response of verse 5” (p. 837). Morris says, “All hindrances to the spiritual life are included, but temptations to sin are clearly the worst of these” (p. 279). Geldenhuys speaks of “the danger that their words, their attitude or neglect of duty may do spiritual harm to others” (p. 431) and of “the responsibility resting upon all to live in such a manner that they do not lead others into sin” (p. 432). 2. Some believe that it refers specifically to the sin of apostasy or to something as serious. Bock says, “Apostasy or something as serious is in view” (p. 1384). Ellis explains it as “anything that causes an alienation of one’s allegiance to Jesus” (p. 207). Lenski translates the Greek word skandala here as “fatal traps” and explains, “The noun refers to a deathtrap which is baited so that, when the bait is touched, the stick holding the bait springs the trap…. One…is killed by a skandalon, here, of course, spiritually….”Translators should probably translate in a general way, not referring specifically to apostasy but using a term that implies the seriousness of the sin. Any sin is serious, and tempting a vulnerable person to sin merits terrible punishment.

Some ways to translate stumbling blocks are:

• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

  things that cause people to disobey/offend God

  something that causes people to sin (CEV)

  lure/tempt other people to reject God’s way

• Use a figure of speech that expresses the same meaning in your language. For example:

  snares

  things that ruin people

  things that spoil people’s faith in God

Notice that some of these examples refer explicitly to God. Sometimes a temptation is specifically related to losing faith in Jesus. However, if you must make explicit who is sinned against, it is better to refer more generally to God.

17:1b

but: The Greek word that the BSB translates as but introduces a contrast. Temptations are sure to come (17:1a), but the person who causes temptations to come will still be punished severely (17:1b). Express the contrast in a natural way in your language.

woe to the one through whom they come: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as woe to the one through whom they come means “woe to that person who causes the temptations to come” or “woe to the person who causes other people to sin.” For example:

how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting (NLT96)

the person who tempts his companion so that he does sin is to be pitied, for God will really punish himYakan Back Translation, TW.

In some languages there may be an idiom to express this. One example in English is:

the person who leads someone astray will have a terrible punishment

woe to the one: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as woe to the one means that something terrible will happen to the person. He or she will suffer greatly. In this context, it implies that God will punish the person severely. This same word occurs in 6:24a.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

how terrible for the one (GNT)

how horrible it will be for the person (GW)

God will severely punish that person

The word woe is not a curse. Jesus was not asking God to curse this person.

the one: The phrase the one refers here to any person or people who cause other people to sin. It is not referring to a particular person. Use a natural way to refer to any person or people who do this.

they come: The word they refers to the “stumbling blocks” in 17:1a.