Who Is the Greatest?

^46 (A)An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.

Who Is the Greatest?

18 ^(A)At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³ and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you ^(B)turn and ^(C)become like children, you ^(D)will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ^4 (E)Whoever humbles himself like this child is the ^(F)greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

^5 (G)“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,

Who Is the Greatest?

³³ And ^(A)they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house ^(B)he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” ³⁴ But they kept silent, for on the way ^(C)they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. ³⁵ And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, ^(D)“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶ And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and ^(E)taking him in his arms, he said to them, ^37 (F)“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and ^(G)whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

⁹ I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.

³ Do nothing from ^(A)selfish ambition or ^(B)conceit, but in ^(C)humility count others more significant than yourselves.

A Mother's Request

^20 (A)Then ^(B)the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and ^(C)kneeling before him she asked him for something. ²¹ And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine ^(D)are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, ^(E)in your kingdom.” ²² Jesus answered, ^(F)“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able ^(G)to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”

¹⁴ Do all things ^(A)without grumbling or ^(B)disputing,

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

²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, ^(A)divisions, ²¹ envy,^[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that ^(B)those who do^[b] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.