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)

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?”

⁴⁷ Jesus, knowing their thoughts,^(A) took a little child and had him stand beside him.

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.”^(A)

³⁶ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,^(B) he said to them,

³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,^(A) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^{(B) 4} Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.^(C)

⁴⁸ Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^(A) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”^(B)

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us^(A)

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”^(B)

³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us.^{(C) 41} Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.^(D)

Causing to Stumble

⁴² “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,^(E) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.^(F)

⁷ Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!^{(A) 8} If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,^(B) cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.

⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to stumble,^(A) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.^{(B) [46] [a] 47} And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(C) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,^{(D) 48} where

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted^(F) with fire.

⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?^(G) Have salt among yourselves,^(H) and be at peace with each other.”^(I)