^2 (A)It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.^[a]

Temptations to Sin

^42 (A)“Whoever causes one of ^(B)these little ones who believe in me to sin,^{[a] (C)}it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

¹⁴ So ^(A)it is not the will of my^[a] Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

³ and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you ^(A)turn and ^(B)become like children, you ^(C)will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ^4 (D)Whoever humbles himself like this child is the ^(E)greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

^5 (F)“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, ⁶ but ^(G)whoever causes one of these ^(H)little ones who believe in me to sin,^[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

¹¹ And so by your knowledge this weak person is ^(A)destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. ¹² Thus, sinning against your brothers^[a] and ^(B)wounding their conscience when it is weak, ^(C)you sin against Christ.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹⁰ “See that you do not despise ^(A)one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven ^(B)their angels always ^(C)see the face of my Father who is in heaven.^[a]

²⁴ The Son of Man goes ^(A)as it is written of him, but ^(B)woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^(C)It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

False Prophets and Teachers

2 But ^(A)false prophets also arose among the people, ^(B)just as there will be false teachers among you, who will ^(C)secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master ^(D)who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth ^(E)will be blasphemed. ³ And ^(F)in their greed they will exploit you ^(G)with false words. ^(H)Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

^22 (A)To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. ^(B)I have become all things to all people, that ^(C)by all means I might save some.