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Offend
Open directlySchaff's Dictionary of the Bible · 1880
OFFEND', OFFENSE'. These words are often wrongly translated in the A.V. (as Matt 5:29; Matt 18:6. The Greek verb strictly means "to make to stumble." And so the noun means "that which causeth to stumble," or leads to sin. It is in these senses that the eye is said "to offend" (better "causeth thee to stumble"), Matt 5:29 - that is, it may allure to sin. So, in Matt 18:7, "offenses" are causes of sin. Our Saviour is said to be a "rock of offense," Rom 9:33, because the humility of his life and death was an obstacle in the way of the Jews' accepting him, as they associated with their idea of the Messiah the external grandeur and pomp of the world. The "offense of the cross," Gal 5:11, is that in the doctrines of Christ or in the cross which is offensive to the natural man.
Scripture references
Webster's 1828 Dictionary · 1828 1 of 2
Part of speech: verb (v.)
1. To strike against; to attack; to assail. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.
2. To displease; to make angry; to affront. A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. Prov. xviii. 19.
3. To be offensive to; to harm; to pain; to annoy; as, strong light offends the eye; to offend the conscience.
4. To transgress; to violate; to sin against. [Obs.] Marry, sir, he hath offended the law. Shak.
5. To oppose or obstruct in duty; to cause to stumble; to cause to sin or to fall. [Obs.] Who hath you misboden or offended. Chaucer. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out... And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off. Matt. v. 29, 3O. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Ps. cxix. 165.
Webster's 1828 Dictionary · 1828 2 of 2
Part of speech: verb (v.)
1. To transgress the moral or divine law; to commit a crime; to stumble; to sin. Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. James ii. 10. If it be a sin to cevet honor, I am the most offending soul alive. Shak.
2. To cause dislike, anger, or vexation; to displease. I shall offend, either to detain or give it. Shak. To offend against, to do an injury or wrong to; to commit an offense against. "We have offended against the Lord already." 2 Chron. xxviii. 13.