Discovery BoxMatthew 9:28 
Context9:28 When 1 he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus 2 said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”
Matthew 18:6
Context18:6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, 3 it would be better for him to have a huge millstone 4 hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. 5
Matthew 21:25
Context21:25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?” 6 They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’
Matthew 24:26
Context24:26 So then, if someone 7 says to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ 8 do not go out, or ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe him.
1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
2 tn Grk “to him, and Jesus.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, but a new sentence was started here in the translation.
3 tn The Greek term σκανδαλίζω (skandalizw), translated here “causes to sin” can also be translated “offends” or “causes to stumble.”
4 tn Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Mark 9:42.
sn The punishment of drowning with a heavy weight attached is extremely gruesome and reflects Jesus’ views concerning those who cause others who believe in him to sin.
5 tn The term translated “open” here (πελάγει, pelagei) refers to the open sea as opposed to a stretch of water near a coastline (BDAG 794 s.v. πέλαγος). A similar English expression would be “the high seas.”
6 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is used here (and in v. 26) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NAB, NRSV, “of human origin”; TEV, “from human beings”; NLT, “merely human”).
sn The question is whether John’s ministry was of divine or human origin.
7 tn Grk “they say.” The third person plural is used here as an indefinite and translated “someone” (ExSyn 402).
8 tn Or “in the desert.”
