Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. It were better (lusitelei). Only here in New Testament. The verb means to pay what is due, and is equivalent to our phrase, it pays.Millstone. Compare Matt. xviii. 6. The correct reading here is liqov mulikov, a millstone; not a great millstone as Matthew.
Thrown (erriptai). Hurled: with an underlying sense of violence, called out by so great an outrage.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
17:2 {It were well for him} (lusitelei autwi). An old word, but only here in the N.T., from lusiteles and this from luw, to pay, and ta tele, the taxes. So it pays the taxes, it returns expenses, it is profitable. Literally here, "It is profitable for him" (dative case, autwi). Matthew has sumferei (it is advantageous, bears together for). {If a millstone were hanged} (ei liqos mulikos perikeitai). Literally, "if a millstone is hanged." Present passive indicative from perikeimai (to lie or be placed around). It is used as a perfect passive of peritiqemi. So it is a first-class condition, determined as fulfilled, not second-class as the English translations imply. mulikos is simply a stone (liqos), belonging to a mill. Here only in the text of Westcott and Hort, not in #Mr 9:42 which is like #Mt 18:6 mulos onikos where the upper millstone is turned by an ass, which see. {Were thrown} (erriptai). Perfect passive indicative from rhiptw, old verb. Literally, is thrown or has been thrown or cast or hurled. Mark has bebletai and Matthew katapontisqei, which see, all three verbs vivid and expressive. Rather than (e). The comparative is not here expressed before e as one would expect. It is implied in lusitelei. See the same idiom in #Lu 15:7.
