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

¹ In that hour the disciples came to Jesus. They asked: Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

² He took a little child and put him in the middle of them. ³ He said: Truly I tell you, if you do not have a change of heart and become like little children, you will not go into the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ He who humbles himself to become like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ Everyone who accepts this little child in my name accepts me.

⁶ He who causes one of my faithful little ones to stumble is in trouble. It would be better for him to end up in the deep sea with a great stone tied to his neck. ⁷ A curse is on the earth because of stumbling! It is necessary for stumbling to come. Unhappy is that man through whom the stumbling comes. ⁸ If your hand or your foot is a cause of stumbling cut it off. Get rid of it. It is better for you to go into life with the loss of a hand or a foot than, having two hands or two feet, to be destroyed by eternal fire. ⁹ If your eye causes you stumbling, take it out and throw it away. It is better for you to go into life with one eye than, having two eyes, to be destroyed in ever-burning fires in the Valley of Hinnom (Greek: Gehenna).

³³ They traveled to Capernaum. When they were in the house he asked them: What were you talking about on the way? ³⁴ They said nothing because they had had an argument between themselves about who was the greatest. ³⁵ He sat down and the twelve came to him. He said: If any man has the desire to be first, he would be last of all and servant of all. ³⁶ He put a little child in the middle of them and taking him in his arms he said to them: ³⁷ Whoever receives a little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

⁴⁶ They reasoned among themselves which of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ When Jesus detected the reasoning of their heart, he took a little child, and set him by his side. ⁴⁸ Then he said to them: Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. He who is least among you will be the greatest!