Devine Scripture

Luke 17:1

What does Luke 17:1 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 17:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 17:1 means

Jesus warns His disciples that in a fallen world, temptations to sin and causes of spiritual stumbling will inevitably appear. Yet inevitability does not lessen personal responsibility. The “woe” underscores God’s serious displeasure toward anyone who becomes an agent of harm to others’ souls—especially to the vulnerable in faith. Christ’s words call believers to sober self-examination about their influence. We are not sovereign over all events, but we are accountable for what we introduce into others’ paths. The verse balances realism about the presence of evil with a grave summons to guard our behavior, our teaching, and our example so that we do not become instruments of another’s fall.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And he said unto his disciples, It is impossible but that occasions of stumbling should come; but woe unto him, through whom they come!

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And he said unto his disciples, It is impossible but that occasions of stumbling should come; but woe unto him, through whom they come!

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he said to his disciples, It is necessary for causes of trouble to come about, but unhappy is he by whom they come.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And he said unto the disciples, `It is impossible for the stumbling blocks not to come, but woe <FI>to him<Fi> through whom they come;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he said to his disciples: It is impossible that scandals should not come. But woe to him through whom they come!

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And he said to his disciples, It cannot be but that offences come, but woe [to him] by whom they come!

Context

This opening word sets the tone for a cluster of disciple-focused instructions. It follows broader controversies in Luke and now narrows to the community of learners around Jesus. The warning about inevitable stumbling leads directly into a sharper statement about the severity of harming “little ones” (verse 2), and then into practical guidance for maintaining healthy fellowship through rebuke and forgiveness (verses 3–4). The frame is pastoral and ethical: Jesus is shaping a people who walk carefully, help one another resist sin, and repair relationships quickly when sin occurs.

v.1This passage

v.2It were well for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 16:17

    Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:10

    and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:13

    Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble.

  • Romans 14:13

    Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling.

  • Matthew 18:7

    Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!

  • Revelation 2:20

    But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

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