Luke 17:1

1 And Jesus said to his disciples, It is impossible that causes of stumbling come not; but woe to that man, by whom they come. [And he said to his disciples, It is impossible that offences come not; but woe to him, by whom they come.]

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 And Jesus said to his disciples, It is impossible that causes of stumbling come not; but woe to that man, by whom they come. [And he said to his disciples, It is impossible that offences come not; but woe to him, by whom they come.]

2 It is more profitable to him, if a millstone be put about his neck, and he be cast into the sea, than that he cause to stumble one of these little [than that he offend one of these little].

3 Take ye heed to yourselves [Take heed to yourselves]; if thy brother hath sinned against thee, blame him; and if he do penance, forgive him.

4 And if seven times in the day he do sin against thee, and seven times in the day he be converted to thee, and say, It repenteth me, forgive thou him. [+And if seven times in the day he shall sin against thee, and seven times in the day shall be converted to thee, saying, It repenteth me, forgive him.]

5 And the apostles said to the Lord, Increase to us faith [Increase faith to us].