Mark 9:42Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he was thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck.
The setting
Capernaum, Israel. ~29 AD. Jesus holding a child while teaching about greatness...
The emotion here: fierce protective anger over vulnerable faith
The original word
skandalizo (σκανδαλίζω) — to set a trap, cause to stumble into sin
Why it matters
Roman millstones weighed 1,500+ pounds and were used to execute criminals
Read with care
What most readers miss in Mark 9:42
Jesus literally has a child in His arms when He says this — making it intensely personal
Common misconceptionPeople think 'little ones' only means children, but Jesus often used this term for new or vulnerable believers of any age.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Mark 9:42
Bible Genome reading
Mark 9:42 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Mark 9:42 comes from the book of Mark, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include responsibility, judgment. Notable phrases: cause to stumble; millstone around neck.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Mark 9:42 mean to you, today?
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