Luke 17 · Verse 1

Luke 17:1

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
Luke 17:1, King James Version

Luke 17:1 in other translations

BSBJesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
WEBHe said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come!
ASVAnd he said unto his disciples, It is impossible but that occasions of stumbling should come; but woe unto him, through whom they come!
YLTAnd he said unto the disciples, ‘It is impossible for the stumbling blocks not to come, but woe to him through whom they come;
DARBYAnd he said to his disciples, It cannot be but that offences come, but woe to him by whom they come!
BBEAnd he said to his disciples, It is necessary for causes of trouble to come about, but unhappy is he by whom they come.
WebsterThen he said to the disciples, It is impossible but that causes of sin will come: but woe to him by whom they come!

What does Luke 17:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 17:1-2

Lu 17:1-10. Offenses--Faith--Humility.

1-2. (See Mt 18:6, 7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verses 1,2. It is impossible. It cannot but happen. Such is the state of things that it will be. See these verses explained in Mt 18:6. Mt 18:7.

(a) "It is impossible" Mt 18:6,7, Mk 9:42

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Christ teaches the necessity of avoiding offenses, Luk 17:1, Luk 17:2. How to treat an offending brother, Luk 17:3, Luk 17:4. The efficacy of faith, Luk 17:5, Luk 17:6. No man by his services or obedience can profit his Maker, Luk 17:7-10. He cleanses ten lepers, Luk 17:11-19. The Pharisees inquire when the kingdom of God shall commence; Christ answers them, and corrects their improper views of the subject, vv. 20-37. Verse 1 It is impossible but that offenses will come - Such is the corrupt state of the human heart that, notwithstanding all the influences of grace, and the promises of glory, men will continue to sin against God; and his justice must continue to punish. See on Mat 18:6 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 17:1-10
It is no abatement of their guilt by whom an offence comes, nor will it lessen their punishment that offences will come. Faith in God's pardoning mercy, will enable us to get over the greatest difficulties in the way of forgiving our brethren. As with God nothing is impossible, so all things are possible to him that can believe. Our Lord showed his disciples their need of deep humility. The Lord has such a property in every creature, as no man can have in another; he cannot be in debt to them for their services, nor do they deserve any return from him.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Luke 17:1 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΕἶπενEipenHe saidG2036
δὲdethenG1161
πρὸςprostoG4314
τοὺςtoustheG3588
μαθητὰςmathētasdisciplesG3101
ἀνένδεκτόνanendektonImpossibleG418
ἐστινestinit isG1510
τοῦtouthatG3588
τὰtatheG3588
σκάνδαλαskandalastumbling blocksG4625
μὴmēnotG3361
ἐλθεῖν,eltheinto come,G2064
πλὴνplēnbutG4133
οὐαὶouaiwoe [to him]G3759
δι᾽di᾽throughG1223
οὗhouwhomG3739
ἔρχεται.erchetaithey come!G2064

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 17:1

  • Matthew 18:7

    Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

  • Romans 14:13

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

  • 1 Corinthians 11:19

    For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

  • Romans 16:17

    Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:13

    Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

  • Matthew 16:23

    But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:32

    Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

  • Romans 14:20-21

    For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

  • Revelation 13:14-18

    And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. …

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

    And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

  • Revelation 2:20

    Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

  • Revelation 2:14

    But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Christ teaches to avoid occasions of offence;
3 and to forgive one another.
5 The power of faith.
6 How we are bound to God, and not he to us.
11 Christ heals ten lepers.
22 Of the kingdom of God, and the coming of the Son of Man.

It is.
Mt 16:23; 18:7; Ro 14:13,20,21; 16:17; 1Co 8:13; 10:32; 11:19
2Th 2:10-12; Re 2:14,20; 13:14-18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 17:1

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

  • Luke 17:2

    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.

Read all of Luke 17

Luke 17:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Á SUS discípulos dice: Imposible es que no vengan escándalos; mas ¡ay de aquél por quien vienen!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or il dit à ses disciples: Il est impossible qu’il n’arrive pas des scandales; mais malheur à celui par qui ils arrivent!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er sprach aber zu seinen Jüngern: Es ist unmöglich, daß nicht Ärgernisse kommen; wehe aber dem, durch welchen sie kommen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait ad discipulos suos: Impossibile est ut non veniant scandala: væ autem illi per quem veniunt.