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, ⁶ but ^(H)whoever causes one of these ^(I)little ones who believe in me to sin,^[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Temptations to Sin

⁷ “Woe to the world for ^(J)temptations to sin!^{[b] (K)}For it is necessary that temptations come, ^(L)but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! ^8 (M)And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into ^(N)the eternal fire. ^9 (O)And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the ^(P)hell^[c] of fire.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹⁰ “See that you do not despise ^(Q)one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven ^(R)their angels always ^(S)see the face of my Father who is in heaven.^[d]

Satan Thrown Down to Earth

⁷ Now war arose in heaven, ^(A)Michael and ^(B)his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, ⁸ but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. ⁹ And ^(C)the great dragon was thrown down, ^(D)that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, ^(E)the deceiver of the whole world—^(F)he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. ¹⁰ And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now ^(G)the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers^[a] has been thrown down, ^(H)who accuses them day and night before our God. ¹¹ And ^(I)they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for ^(J)they loved not their lives ^(K)even unto death. ¹² Therefore, ^(L)rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But ^(M)woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because ^(N)he knows that his time is short!”

¹⁰ And behold, ^(A)a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹ And he said to me, “O Daniel, ^(B)man greatly loved, ^(C)understand the words that I speak to you, and ^(D)stand upright, for ^(E)now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. ¹² Then he said to me, ^(F)“Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you ^(G)set your heart to understand and ^(H)humbled yourself before your God, ^(I)your words have been heard, ^(J)and I have come because of your words. ^13 (K)The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me ^(L)twenty-one days, but ^(M)Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, ^14 (N)and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people ^(O)in the latter days. For ^(P)the vision is for days yet to come.”

The Time of the End

12 “At that time shall arise ^(A)Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And ^(B)there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, ^(C)everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. ² And many of those who ^(D)sleep in ^(E)the dust of the earth shall ^(F)awake, ^(G)some to everlasting life, and ^(H)some to shame and everlasting contempt. ^3 (I)And those who are wise ^(J)shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;^[a] and ^(K)those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.