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.

It were well for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.

It were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should scandalize one of these little ones.

It would be more profitable for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the sea, than that he should be a snare to one of these little ones.

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.

it is more profitable to him if a weighty millstone is put round about his neck, and he hath been cast into the sea, than that he may cause one of these little ones to stumble.

It would be well for him if, with a millstone round his neck, he were lying at the bottom of the sea, rather than that he should cause even one of these little ones to fall.

It would be well for him if a great stone was put round his neck and he was dropped into the sea, before he made trouble for any of these little ones.

It would be better for him if a millstone were placed around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than to lead astray one of these little ones.

It would be good for them if they had been flung into the sea with a millstone around their neck, rather than that they should prove a trap even one of these little ones.

A mill-stone - That drowning a person with a stone tied about the neck was an ancient mode of punishment, see proved in the note on Matthew 18:6, Matthew 18:7 (note), to which let the following be added. To have a mill-stone hanged about the neck, was a common proverb. "Samuel saith, A man may marry, and after that addict himself to the study of the law. Rab. Jochanan saith, No: shall he addict himself to the study of the law with a mill-stone about his neck?" The place in Aristophanes, to which the reader is referred in the note on Matthew 18:6 (note), is the following: -
Αραν μετεωρον εις το βαραθρον εμβαλω,
Εκ του λαρυγγος εκκρεμασας ὑπερβολον
"Lifting him up into the air, I will plunge him into the deep: a great stone being hung about his neck."
Aristoph. in Equit. ver. 1359.

It were better for him that a millstone,.... See Gill on Matthew 18:6 and See Gill on Mark 9:42.

Little ones - Weak believers.