# 1 Clement 46.8

- Author: [Clement of Rome](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/clement-of-rome/)
- Work: [1 Clement](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/1-clement/) (*Epistula I ad Corinthios*)
- Date: ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:88; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 8–121 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/1-clement/46/8/

Summary: Jesus's warning against causing his elect to stumble.

## Greek text

εἶπεν γάρ· Οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ· καλὸν ἦν αὐτῷ, εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη, ἦ ἕνα τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν μου σκανδαλίσαι κρεῖττον ἢν αὐτῷ περιτεθῆναι μύλον καὶ καταπον τισθῆναι εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, ἢ ἕνα τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν μου διαστρέψαι.

## English translation (Claude)

For he said: “Woe to that man! It would have been better for him not to have been born than to cause one of my elect to stumble. It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around him and be drowned in the sea than to lead astray one of my elect.”

## Scripture references

- Matt 26:24: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 18:6: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 17:2: allusion, high confidence
- Mark 9:42: allusion, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- A combination of sayings found in Matt 26:24 and Matt 18:6 (Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2).

## Citation (SBL)

1 Clem. 46.8 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/1-clement/46/8/).