Matthew 18:7 (DRB)

Passage

Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.

Nearby Context

Matthew 18:5 And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.

Matthew 18:6 But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 18:7 Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.

Matthew 18:8 And if thy hand, or thy foot, scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.

Matthew 18:9 And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "world", "scandals", "must", "needs", "come", and "nevertheless". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "world" and "scandals", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "But he that shall scandalize one of..." into verse 8's "And if thy hand or thy foot...", so "world" and "scandals" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "world" and "scandals" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.