"pr. to cause to stumble; met. offend, Mt. 17:27; to offend, shock, excite feeling of repugnance, Jn. 6:61; 1 Cor. 8:13; pass. to be offended, shocked, pained, Mt. 15:12; Rom. 14:21; 2 Cor. 11:29; σκανδαλίζεσθαι ἔν τινι, to be affected with scruples of repugnance towards any one a..."
Definition and meaning
pr. to cause to stumble; met. offend, Mt. 17:27; to offend, shock, excite feeling of repugnance, Jn. 6:61; 1 Cor. 8:13; pass. to be offended, shocked, pained, Mt. 15:12; Rom. 14:21; 2 Cor. 11:29; σκανδαλίζεσθαι ἔν τινι, to be affected with scruples of repugnance towards any one as respects his claims or pretensions, Mt. 11:6; 13:57; met. to cause to stumble morally, to cause to falter or err, Mt. 5:29; 18:6; pass. to falter, fall away, Mt. 13:21
In the original Greek the word is written: σκανδαλίζω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of skandalizo (G4624) across the King James Bible.
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
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Common questions
Strong's G4624 (skandalizo) is a Greek word that means: pr. to cause to stumble; met. offend, Mt. 17:27; to offend, shock, excite feeling of repugnance, Jn. 6:61; 1 Cor. 8:13; pass. to be offended, shocked, pained, Mt. 15:12; Rom. 14:21; 2 Cor. 11:29; σκαν... It appears 28 times in the King James Bible.
The word skandalizo (G4624) appears 28 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4624 is skandalizo, a Greek word defined as: pr. to cause to stumble; met. offend, Mt. 17:27; to offend, shock, excite feeling of repugnance, Jn. 6:61; 1 Cor. 8:13; pass. to be offended, shocked,. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
skandalizo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.