Greek word · G4625

σκάνδαλον

skandalon

stumbling block

Originally the trigger-stick or bait-stick of a trap, the part that springs the trap when an animal touches it. In the biblical period it meant any trap or snare, and figuratively anything (or anyone) that makes a person fall: into sin, into ruin, or away from trust in God.

Appears 15 times in 13 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

σκάνδαλον, -ου, τό

(late form of the rare word σκανδάληθρον, see LS, see word) [in LXX chiefly for מוֹקֵשׁ, מִכְשׁוֹל ;]

prop., the bait-stick of a trap, a snare, stumbling-block (Leviticus 19:14, Judith 5:1): figuratively, Romans 9:33, 1 Peter 2:8 (Isaiah 8:14; aliter in LXX; στερεὸν σκανδάλου in Aq.). Metaphorical, of that which causes error or sin;

(a) of persons: Matthew 13:41 16:23; Χριστὸς ἐσταυρωμένος, 1 Corinthians 1:23;

(b) of things: Matthew 18:7, Romans 11:9" (LXX) Romans 14:13, 1 John 2:10 Revelation 2:14; τὸ σ. τοῦ σταυροῦ, Galatians 5:11; pl., Matthew 18:7, Luke 17:1, Romans 16:17.†

SYN.: πρόσκομμα (AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 18:7

Range of meaning

Originally the trigger-stick or bait-stick of a trap, the part that springs the trap when an animal touches it. In the biblical period it meant any trap or snare, and figuratively anything (or anyone) that makes a person fall: into sin, into ruin, or away from trust in God. In Jewish and Christian usage the main idea is a fall that destroys a relationship with God, often apostasy (abandoning the faith), not a small moral slip.

Against the English

KJV 'offence' once meant 'a cause of stumbling' (Latin offendere, 'to strike against'). Modern English hears 'something that hurts someone's feelings'. BSB 'causes of sin' and ESV 'temptations to sin' are closer, but 'temptation' suggests an inner pull that one resists, where skandalon is an outside trap that brings someone down. NIV and WEB, with 'things that cause people to stumble' and 'occasions of stumbling', keep the picture best.

How it drifted

The English 'offence/offend' moved from 'cause to stumble' to 'insult or annoy'. Readers of the KJV now hear a verse about hurt feelings.

Used elsewhere in the period

The word is rare in secular Greek, which prefers skandalēthron. In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) it translates Hebrew môqēš, 'snare' (e.g. Josh 23:13; Ps 69:22 [LXX 68:23]), and mikšôl, 'stumbling block' (Lev 19:14: 'you shall not put a stumbling block before the blind'). Idols and foreign gods are a 'snare' to Israel (Judg 2:3 LXX; Ps 106:36 [LXX 105:36]). Matthew uses it for Peter blocking Jesus' path to the cross (16:23) and for mass falling-away before the end (24:10, the verb).

From the study of 1 Corinthians 1:23

Range of meaning

Originally the trigger-stick of a trap (compare skandalēthron, "trap-stick," in Aristophanes, Acharnians 687). Hence a trap or snare, then anything that makes someone trip and fall, and figuratively something that provokes offense, revulsion and rejection. BDAG gives senses from "trap" to "that which causes offense or revulsion and results in opposition."

Against the English

"Stumbling block" keeps the picture, but in modern English it usually means a minor hindrance ("a stumbling block to the negotiations"). The English cognate "scandal" now means a juicy public disgrace. Skandalon is stronger than the first and different from the second: an affront that makes people fall away in rejection.

How it drifted

"Stumbling block" (Tyndale, KJV) once called up the image of a falling body. Today it has faded into business language for an obstacle. "Scandal" came through Latin scandalum (Vulgate) and later moved toward "public outrage over misconduct."

Used elsewhere in the period

Greek Old Testament: "you shall not put a skandalon before the blind" (Lev 19:14); snares and traps (Josh 23:13; Ps 69[68]:22). Isaiah 8:14's "rock of stumbling" is combined by Paul with Isa 28:16 in Rom 9:33 to describe Israel's response to the Messiah. Paul speaks of "the skandalon of the cross" in Gal 5:11. In the 2nd century Justin's Jewish debate partner Trypho accepts that the Messiah might suffer but balks at crucifixion, "for the one crucified is said in the law to be accursed" (Dialogue with Trypho 32, 89–90).

From the study of Revelation 2:14

Range of meaning

At root, the trigger-stick or baited part of a trap. From there: a trap or snare, and then figuratively anything that lures a person into sin or ruin, a 'cause of falling'. In Jewish and Christian Greek it almost always means a fall in a religious and moral sense, a fall away from God, not a small stumble.

Against the English

'Stumbling block' (KJV, BSB, WEB, ESV, NASB) pictures a rock in the road you might trip over by accident. That loses the picture of intent: a skandalon is set by someone in order to catch someone else. NIV's 'entice … to sin' and the BSB footnote-style gloss 'snare' keep the purpose but lose the image. NLT's 'trip up' keeps the deliberate act.

How it drifted

The KJV's 'stumblingblock' carried over the Greek translation of the Hebrew mikshol (Leviticus 19:14, 'do not put a stumbling block before the blind'). In modern English 'stumbling block' has weakened further into 'difficulty' or 'obstacle' ('cost is the main stumbling block'). The sense of a lure set to destroy someone has faded.

Used elsewhere in the period

The older Greek form skandalēthron means the bait-stick of a trap (Aristophanes, Acharnians 687). In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), skandalon often translates Hebrew môqēš ('snare', e.g. Joshua 23:13; Psalm 69:22 [68:23 LXX]; Psalm 141:9), and it is used of foreign gods becoming a snare to Israel (Judges 2:3; compare Exodus 23:33). In the NT see Romans 11:9 (quoting Psalm 69), Matthew 16:23 and 1 Corinthians 1:23.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 5

  1. Matthew 13:41 σκάνδαλα causes of sin

    The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.

    Here: Things or people that make others fall, here meaning fall away from God. The word is neuter, but Matthew uses it of a person in 16:23 (Peter). Coming alongside 'those doing lawlessness', it probably points mainly to people who lead others astray.

  2. Matthew 16:23 σκάνδαλον A stumbling block

    But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

    Here: "A trap" or "a stumbling stone." It is placed first for emphasis. It means something that would make Jesus fall away from his God-given path, not just something in his way.

  3. Matthew 18:7 σκανδάλων· σκάνδαλα, σκάνδαλον causes of sin;, stumbling blocks,, offense

    Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!

    Here: Things and people that make others fall into sin or away from faith. Plural: these traps are many and everywhere.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 17:1 σκάνδαλα stumbling blocks

    Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!

    Here: Plural: snares or obstacles that make a person fall. In Jewish and Christian usage that means falling into sin or away from God. Verse 2 defines it as causing 'one of these little ones to stumble'.

Romans · 4

  1. Romans 9:33 σκανδάλου, of offense,

    as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

    Here: Something that trips a person and brings them down. It does not mean something that insults or annoys. In Isaiah 8:14 the matching Hebrew word means a thing that makes someone stumble.

  2. Romans 11:9 σκάνδαλον a stumbling block

    And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

    Here: Something that trips a person up and brings them down. Here, in a run of hunting words, it keeps its trap sense. It also points ahead to v. 11 ('did they stumble so as to fall?') and back to the 'rock of offence' (petra skandalou) in 9:33.

  3. Romans 14:13 σκάνδαλον.¶ snare.

    Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

    Here: Originally the trigger-stick of a trap. In the Greek Old Testament it means a snare that brings someone to ruin. Here it is whatever lures a fellow believer into acting against their own conscience, which Paul calls sin (14:23) and 'destroying' that person (14:15, 20).

  4. Romans 16:17 σκάνδαλα obstacles

    Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.

    Here: Things that trip believers up and make them fall away from faith or into sin. This echoes Romans 14:13, where Paul forbids putting a skandalon in a brother's way.

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:23 σκάνδαλον a stumbling block

    but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

    Here: For Jewish hearers a crucified Messiah is not a small hurdle. It is a trap that brings a person down, something so offensive that it provokes outright rejection.

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 5:11 σκάνδαλον offense

    Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.

    Here: Something that trips people up so they fall away or reject the message. It is not mere hurt feelings. A crucified Messiah, and through him Gentiles accepted without circumcision, made people turn away and turn hostile.

1 Peter · 1

  1. 1 Peter 2:8 σκανδάλου, of offense,

    and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.

    Here: Something that trips a person and brings them down, a snare. A 'rock of skandalon' is a rock that makes people fall. It is not a rock that hurts people's feelings.

1 John · 1

  1. 1 John 2:10 σκάνδαλον cause for stumbling

    Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him.

    Here: Something that trips a person and brings them down. In Jewish Greek usage it is above all what makes someone fall into sin or abandon faith. The Greek leaves open whether he trips others or is tripped himself.

Revelation · 1

  1. Revelation 2:14 σκάνδαλον a snare

    But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

    Here: A baited trap or snare set to bring someone down, not just an obstacle in the road. At Peor the bait was hospitality, sacred meals and women. What it caught was Israel's loyalty to its God.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.