Rank in the Kingdom

18 (A)At that [a]time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “(B)Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you [b]change and (C)become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me; but (D)whoever (E)causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to [c]sin, it is better for him that a [d]heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:1 Lit hour
  2. Matthew 18:3 Lit turn
  3. Matthew 18:6 Or stumble, and so throughout the ch
  4. Matthew 18:6 Lit millstone turned by a donkey

Who Is the Greatest?

18 At that time[a](A) the disciples(B) came to Jesus and said, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”(C)

Then He called a child to Him and had him stand among them. “I assure you,” He said, “unless you are converted[b] and become like children,(D) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.(E) Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes[c] one child like this in My name welcomes Me.

“But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone[d] were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea!(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:1 Lit hour
  2. Matthew 18:3 Or are turned around
  3. Matthew 18:5 Or receives
  4. Matthew 18:6 A millstone turned by a donkey