Who Is the Greatest?

18 At that time^[a](A) the disciples^(B) came to Jesus and asked, “So who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ^{(C) 2} He called a small child and had him stand among them. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like little children,^(D) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^{(E) 4} Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes^[b] one child like this in my name welcomes me.

⁶ “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.^(F)

¹² But to all who did receive^(A) him,^(B) he gave them the right^(C) to be^[a] children^(D) of God,^(E) to those who believe^(F) in his name,^(G)

Blessing the Children

¹³ Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.^{(A) 14} Jesus said, “Leave the little children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”^{[a](B) 15} After placing his hands on them, he went on from there.

God’s Children

²⁸ So now, little children, remain in him so that when he appears^(A) we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.^{(B) 29} If you know that he is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right^(C) has been born of him.^(D)

3 See what great love^[a] the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him. ² Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed.^(E) We know that when he appears,^[b] we will be like him^(F) because we will see him as he is.^{(G) 3} And everyone who has this hope^(H) in him purifies himself just as he is pure.^(I)