Who Is the Greatest?(A)

46 (B)Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.

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46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.(A)

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Who Is the Greatest?(A)

18 At (B)that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Then Jesus called a little (C)child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, (D)unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (E)Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (F)Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

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The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven(A)

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,(B) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.(C) Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.(D) And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.(E)

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Who Is the Greatest?(A)

33 (B)Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you [a]disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had (C)disputed among themselves who would be the (D)greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, (E)“If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then (F)He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and (G)whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:33 discussed

33 They came to Capernaum.(A) When he was in the house,(B) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.(C)

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”(D)

36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,(E) he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”(F)

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Diotrephes and Demetrius

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

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I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us.

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(A)Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but (B)in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

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Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.(A) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,(B)

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Greatness Is Serving(A)

20 (B)Then the mother of (C)Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?”

She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine (D)may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”

22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink (E)the cup that I am about to drink, [a]and be baptized with (F)the baptism that I am baptized with?”

They said to Him, “We are able.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:22 NU omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with

A Mother’s Request(A)

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons(B) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,(C) asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”(D)

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup(E) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

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14 Do all things (A)without [a]complaining and (B)disputing,[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 2:14 grumbling
  2. Philippians 2:14 arguing

14 Do everything without grumbling(A) or arguing,

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25 (A)If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 (B)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

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25 Since we live by the Spirit,(A) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,(B) provoking and envying each other.

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20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [a]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that (A)those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:21 NU omits murders

20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(A) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(B)

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10 (A)Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, (B)in honor giving preference to one another;

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10 Be devoted to one another in love.(A) Honor one another above yourselves.(B)

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Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

For I say, (A)through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, (B)not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt (C)to each one a measure of faith.

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Humble Service in the Body of Christ

For by the grace given me(A) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

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The Disciples Argue About Greatness

24 (A)Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. 25 (B)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26 (C)But not so among you; on the contrary, (D)he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 27 (E)For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet (F)I am among you as the One who serves.

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24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.(A) 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,(B) and the one who rules like the one who serves.(C) 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.(D)

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Take the Lowly Place

So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 (A)But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 (B)For whoever exalts himself will be [a]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 14:11 put down

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table,(A) he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”(B)

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