Who Is the Greatest?^(A)

^46 (B)An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he took a child, stood him by his side, ^48 (C)and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, also welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all is the greatest.”

Whoever Is Not against You Is for You^(D)

⁴⁹ John spoke up, “Master, we saw a man driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he doesn't belong to our group.”

⁵⁰ “Do not try to stop him,” Jesus said to him and to the other disciples, “because whoever is not against you is for you.”

A Samaritan Village Refuses to Receive Jesus

⁵¹ As the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind and set out on his way to Jerusalem. ⁵² He sent messengers ahead of him, who went into a village in Samaria to get everything ready for him. ⁵³ But the people there would not receive him, because it was clear that he was on his way to Jerusalem. ^54 (E)When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”^[a]

⁵⁵ Jesus turned and rebuked them.^{[b] 56} Then Jesus and his disciples went on to another village.

The Would-Be Followers of Jesus^(F)

⁵⁷ As they went on their way, a man said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

⁵⁸ Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest.”

⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But that man said, “Sir, first let me go back and bury my father.”

⁶⁰ Jesus answered, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”

^61 (G)Someone else said, “I will follow you, sir; but first let me go and say good-bye to my family.”

⁶² Jesus said to him, “Anyone who starts to plow and then keeps looking back is of no use for the Kingdom of God.”