Luke 17:1

Faithful service

1 Jesus said to his disciples, " Things that cause people to trip and fall into sin must happen, but how terrible it is for the person through whom they happen.

Luke 17:1 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 17:1

Then said he unto his disciples
In the Alexandrian copy, and in "three" of Beza's exemplars it is read, "his disciples"; and so read the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions; that is, Jesus said to his disciples what follows, as the Syriac and Persic versions express, and the latter reads, he said "again". About the time that he delivered the above parable concerning the rich man and Lazarus, he repeated to his disciples what he had before said to them on another occasion, ( Matthew 18:7 )

it is impossible but that offences will come;
considering the decree of God, the malice of Satan, the wickedness of men, the corruption both of their principles and practices. The Ethiopic version renders it, "temptation will come"; that which will be trying to the faith of the saints, and a stumblingblock to weak minds, as reproach and persecution, errors, and heresies, and the evil lives of professors:

but woe [unto him] through whom they come;
(See Gill on Matthew 18:7)

Luke 17:1 In-Context

1 Jesus said to his disciples, "Things that cause people to trip and fall into sin must happen, but how terrible it is for the person through whom they happen.

2 It would be better for them to be thrown into a lake with a large stone hung around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to trip and fall into sin.

3 Watch yourselves! If your brother or sister sins, warn them to stop. If they change their hearts and lives, forgive them.

4 Even if someone sins against you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times and says, ‘I am changing my ways,' you must forgive that person."

5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"