Matthew 18:1-9 - The Question About Who Is Greatest

¹ At that time the disciples came up to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

² And calling a child [to himself], he had him stand in their midst ³ and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven! ⁴ Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child, this person is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, ⁵ and whoever welcomes one child such as this in my name welcomes me.

⁶ But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him that {a large millstone} be hung on his neck and he be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷ Woe to the world because of causes for stumbling, for [it is] a necessity [that] causes for stumbling come; nevertheless, woe to the person through whom the cause for stumbling comes. ⁸ And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw [it] from you! It is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be thrown into the eternal fire! ⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw [it] from you! It is better for you to enter into life one-eyed than, having two eyes, to be thrown into fiery hell!

³³ And they came to Capernaum. And [after he] was in the house, he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" ³⁴ But they were silent, because they had argued with one another on the way [about] who [was] greatest. ³⁵ And he sat down [and] called the twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he will be last of all and servant of all." ³⁶ And he took a young child [and] had him stand {among them}. And taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ "Whoever welcomes one of the young children such as these in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but the one who sent me."

⁴⁶ And an argument developed among them as to who of them might be greatest. ⁴⁷ But Jesus, [because he] knew the thoughts of their hearts, took hold of a child and had him stand beside him ⁴⁸ and said to them, "Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all--this one is great."