Matthew 18:7 (GNV)

Passage

Wo be vnto the world because of offences: for it must needes be that offences shall come, but wo be to that man by whome the offence commeth.

Nearby Context

Matthew 18:5 And whosoeuer shall receiue one such litle childe in my name, receiueth me.

Matthew 18:6 But whosoeuer shall offend one of these litle ones which beleeue in me, it were better for him, that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 18:7 Wo be vnto the world because of offences: for it must needes be that offences shall come, but wo be to that man by whome the offence commeth.

Matthew 18:8 Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foote cause thee to offend, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life, halt, or maimed, then hauing two hands, or two feete, to be cast into euerlasting fire.

Matthew 18:9 And if thine eye cause thee to offende, plucke it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, then hauing two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "But whosoeuer shall offend one of these..." into verse 8's "Wherefore if thy hand or thy foote...", so "world" and "vnto" 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 "vnto" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.