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

¹ Just then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who ranks higher than others in the Kingdom of the Heavens?"

² So He called a young child to Him, and, bidding him stand in the midst of them, ³ said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no case be admitted into the Kingdom of the Heavens. ⁴ Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this young child, he it is who is superior to others in the Kingdom of the Heavens. ⁵ And whoever for my sake receives one young child such as this, receives me.

⁶ But whoever shall occasion the fall of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷ "Alas for the world because of causes of falling! They cannot but come, but alas for each man through whom they come! ⁸ If your hand or your foot is causing you to fall into sin, cut it off and away with it. It is better for you to enter into Life crippled in hand or foot than to remain in possession of two sound hands or feet but be thrown into the fire of the Ages. ⁹ And if your eye is causing you to fall into sin, tear it out and away with it; it is better for you to enter into Life with only one eye, than to remain in possession of two eyes but be thrown into the Gehenna of fire.

³³ So they came to Capernaum; and when in the house He asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" ³⁴ But they remained silent; for on the way they had debated with one another who was the chief of them. ³⁵ Then sitting down He called the Twelve, and said to them, "If any one wishes to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." ³⁶ And taking a young child He made him stand in their midst, then threw His arms round him and said, ³⁷ "Whoever for my sake receives one such young child as this, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not so much me as Him who sent me."

⁴⁶ Now there arose a dispute among them, which of them was to be the greatest. ⁴⁷ And Jesus, knowing the reasoning that was in their hearts, took a young child and made him stand by His side ⁴⁸ and said to them, "Whoever for my sake receives this little child, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives Him who sent me. For the lowliest among you all--he is the greatest."