Luke 17:2 Meaning and Explanation
“It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus says it would be better to be drowned with a millstone around the neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
What Does Luke 17:2 Mean?
Jesus sharpens the warning with a deliberately shocking picture. The great millstone, turned by a donkey, was among the heaviest objects in village life; to be sunk with one was death beyond recovery. "These little ones" are the lowly who believe — children, new disciples, the easily overlooked.
Heaven measures harm by the smallness of the one harmed. The world shrugs at what is done to the weak; Jesus says their care is sacred. Better the worst the sea can do than to teach a trusting soul to fall. The severity is the measure of the love behind it: Christ counts the little ones as His own, and what touches them touches Him.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 17:2
What does Luke 17:2 mean?
Jesus says it would be better to be drowned with a millstone around the neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.