σκανδαλίζω
To cause to stumble
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What does σκανδαλίζω (skandalízō) mean in the Bible?
σκανδαλίζω (skandalízō) is a Greek word meaning "to cause to stumble". σκανδαλίζω (σκάνδαλον), [in LXX: Dan LXX 11:41 (כָּשַׁל ni. Warns against rejecting Christ due to unmet expectations. This term runs through the canonical themes of Messiah.
Full entry for σκανδαλίζω (G4624) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
To cause spiritual stumbling through offense, temptation, or obstacle to faith; to scandalize.
(σκάνδαλον), [in LXX: Dan LXX 11:41 (כָּשַׁל ni.), Sir.9:5 (Sir.35:15 32:15) (יָקֹשׁ ho.) Sir.23:8 (also in Aq., Sm., Th., and in Psa Sol Psa.16:7; not elsewhere, except NT and eccl.)* ;] prop., to put a snare or stumbling-block in the way; in NT always metaphorically of that which hinders right conduct or thought, to cause to stumble: with accusative of person(s), Mat.5:29-30 17:27 18:6, 8-9 Mrk.9:42-43, 45 9:47 Luk.17:2, Jhn.6:61, 1Co.8:13. Pass., to be made to stumble, to stumble: Mat.11:6 13:21, 57 15:12 24:10 26:31, 33, Mrk.4:17 6:3 14:27, 29, Luk.7:23, Jhn.16:1, Rom.14:21 (WH, R, txt., om.), 2Co.11:29,
Why This Word Matters
Warns against rejecting Christ due to unmet expectations.
Describes the disciples’ coming failure.
Describes stumbling over Christ’s humble identity.
Highlights spiritual harm and accountability.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Indicative states a fact or reality 19×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 11×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 30 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Additional Occurrences
New Testament Witnesses
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain