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

¹ In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"

² He called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of them, ³ and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁵ Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

⁶ but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea. ⁷ "Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks. For there will always be something to cause people to stumble, but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes. ⁸ If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you.[note: idiom meaning to stop doing a sin] It is better for you to enter into life crippled or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. ⁹ If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you.[note: idiom meaning to stop doing a sin] It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the fire of hell.

³³ He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing on the way?" ³⁴ But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest. ³⁵ He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all." ³⁶ He took a little child, and set him in the midst of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ "Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, does not receive me, but him who sent me."

⁴⁶ There arose an argument among them about which of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side, ⁴⁸ and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great."