OET interlinear LUKE 17:2

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

λυσιτελεῖ αὐτῷ εἰ

˱it˲_/is/_improving ˱for˲_him if

Jesus is drawing a comparison to the punishment for causing people to sin. He means that this person’s punishment for causing people to sin will be worse than if he had drowned in the sea. No one would actually put a stone around his neck and throw him into the sea as an alternative to that punishment, and Jesus is not saying that anyone will do so. Alternate translation: “The punishment he will receive will be worse than if”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

λίθος μυλικὸς περίκειται περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ

/a/_stone milling /is/_hung_around around the neck ˱of˲_him

The implication is that someone would tie the stone around the person’s neck. Alternate translation: “if someone were to attach a millstone around his neck”

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

λίθος μυλικὸς

/a/_stone milling

A millstone is a very large, heavy, circular stone that is used for grinding grain into flour. If your readers would not be familiar with a millstone, you could use a general expression in your translation. Alternate translation: “a heavy stone” or “a heavy wheel”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

σκανδαλίσῃ

˱he˲_/may/_stumble

See how you translated the similar terms in 17:1. Alternate translation: “he should tempt … to sin”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τῶν μικρῶν τούτων

¬the ˱of˲_little_‹ones› these

This could be: (1) a reference to children who love Jesus and who are physically little compared to adults. Alternate translation: “these children who believe in me” (2) a figurative reference to people whose faith is new and has not yet become mature and strong. Alternate translation: “these new believers” or (3) a figurative reference to people who are not important from a human perspective. Alternate translation: “these common people”