" 'And you, Bethlehem in Judah's land, You are by no means least important among the leading places of Judah, For from you will come a leader Who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' "

Therefore, whoever disregards one of these least [significant] requirements [of the law of Moses] and teaches others to [disregard them], he will be considered the least [significant person] in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys them and teaches [others to obey] them, will be considered important in the kingdom of heaven.

"So I tell you, do not worry about [the material things of] your life, [such as] what you will eat or what you will drink, or about what you will wear on your body. There are more important things in life than food, and more important things about your body than the clothing you wear.

A disciple is not more important than his teacher, nor a slave more important than his master.

"I solemnly say to you, of all men born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has ever appeared; and yet the one who is least important in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

At that very time His disciples came to Jesus, asking, "Who then is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven?"

Therefore, the person who will humble himself, as this little child, is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven.

Then Jesus called all the apostles to Him and said, "You are aware that rulers among the [unconverted] Gentiles lord it over their own people and their important men domineer over them [as well].

But it will not be this way among you, for whoever would like to become important among you will become your servant.

which is the most important commandment of the law?

this is the first and most important precept,

And whoever exalts himself [as important] will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted [as important].

Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold?

You blind people! Which is more important, the gift or the Altar that makes the gift sacred?

A curse is on you, scribes and Pharisees, false ones! for you make men give a tenth of all sorts of sweet-smelling plants, but you give no thought to the more important things of the law, righteousness, and mercy, and faith; but it is right for you to do these, and not to let the others be undone.

The king will answer them, "I tell all of you with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.'

Then he will say to them, "I tell all of you with certainty, since you didn't do it for one of the least important of these, you didn't do it for me.'

And they had then an important prisoner, whose name was Barabbas.

An opportunity came during Herod's birthday celebration, when he gave a banquet for his top officials, military officers, and the most important people of Galilee.

Jesus called them [i.e., probably all twelve apostles] to Him and said, "You are aware that those who are regarded as rulers among the [unconverted] Gentiles lord it over their own people, and their important men domineer over them [as well].

But it is not [to be] this way among you, for whoever would like to become important among you will be your servant.

and whoever wishes to be first and most important among you must be slave of all.

And one of the scribes came up [and] heard them debating. [When he] saw that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"

Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The disciple is not more important than his teacher, but when every person becomes complete, [then] he will be like his teacher.

And Jesus went with them. And when he was not far from the house, the man sent friends to him, saying, Lord, do not give yourself trouble: for I am not important enough for you to come into my house:

I tell you, no one has ever been born who is greater than John. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

A curse is on you, Pharisees! for your desires are for the most important seats in the Synagogues and for words of respect said to you in the market-place.

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye are more important than many sparrows.

For there are more important things in life than food, and [more important things about] your body than the clothing [you wear].

When you get a request to come to a feast, do not take the best seat, for a more important man than you may be coming,

Then the one who invited both of you will come [over] and say to you, 'Give this man your seat [at the table],' and then you will be embarrassed and have to move to the least important seat.

But when you are invited [i.e., to a wedding reception], go and recline at the least important seat, so that when the host comes [over to you], he will say, 'Friend, move up to a better seat.' Then you will be shown honor in front of everyone at the dinner table.

For every person who exalts himself [as important] will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted [as important]."

And he said, You take care to seem right in the eyes of men, but God sees your hearts: and those things which are important in the opinion of men, are evil in the eyes of God.

I tell you, this man went back home right with God instead of the other man. For every person who exalts himself [as important] will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted [as important]."

But it will not be that way among you, for the person who is the most important among you should become [like] the youngest [i.e., least important]. And the person who is the leader should become like the servant.

For who is most important, the person who reclines at the dinner table or the person who serves [him]? Is it not the person who reclines at the dinner table? But I am among you as the person who serves.

He must become more important while I become less important."

On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink!

Are you greater [i.e., more important] than our forefather Abraham and the prophets, who [all] died? Who do you think you are?"

What my Father has given me is more important than anything, and no one can snatch it from the Father's hand.

Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an important day), asked Pilate that their legs could be broken and they could be taken away.

Saying, What are we to do with these men? for certainly it is clear to all who are living in Jerusalem that a most important sign has been done by them, and it is not possible to say that it is not so.

For before this there was Theudas, who said he was someone important, to whom about four hundred men gave their support: he was put to death, and his band was broken up and came to nothing.

The God of this people Israel chose our forefathers, and made this people important during their stay in Egypt, and then with an uplifted arm He led them out of it.

Now when the meeting was ended, a number of the Jews and of the God-fearing Gentiles who had become Jews, went after Paul and Barnabas: who put before them how important it was to keep on in the grace of God.

And from there to Philippi, which is the most important town of Macedonia and a Roman colony: and we were there for some days.

Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Now I ask you, let me speak to the people.”

So, Paul called for one of the officers and said [to him], "Take this young man to the commander; he has something [important] to tell him."

Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important for your survival. For not one of you will lose a hair from his head."

And when they could not agree among themselves they left, after hearing Paul make this one [important] statement: "The Holy Spirit has spoken truthfully to your forefathers through Isaiah the prophet,

Do we, then, through faith make the law of no effect? in no way: but we make it clear that the law is important.

And because of God's unearned favor shown to me [i.e., in appointing me to be an apostle], I am telling every person among you not to think he is more important than he really is. Instead, he should have a sensible estimate [of his gifts] in harmony with the degree of faith God has given to each person.

One person regards a certain day more important than another; the next person regards every day alike. Each person should be fully convinced in his own mind [i.e., concerning their relative importance].

Being circumcised or not being circumcised has no value, but keeping God's commands is important.

But it is important for you to keep this fact in mind, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.

It is important, brethren, that you should have clear knowledge on the subject of spiritual gifts.

But let your desires be turned to the more important things given by the Spirit. And now I am pointing out to you an even better way.

But now [i.e., since the temporary gifts are to pass away], these three things remain: faith, hope and love; and the most important of them is love.

Now I would like all of you to speak in languages [supernaturally], but I would rather have you prophecy. For the person who prophesies is more important [i.e., to the church] than those who speak in languages [supernaturally], unless that person interprets [the languages], so the church can be built up [spiritually].

For I passed on to you as most important what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures,

For I am the least important of the apostles, and am not fit to be called an apostle, because I once persecuted God's church.

For a great and important door there is open to me, and there are a number of people against me.

For in my opinion, I am in no way less than the most important of the Apostles.

But from those who seemed to be important (whatever they were has no weight with me: God does not take man's person into account): those who seemed to be important gave nothing new to me;

For any person who thinks he is someone [important], when he is really nothing, is self-deceived.

Those who have the desire to seem important in the flesh, put force on you to undergo circumcision; only that they may not be attacked because of the cross of Christ.

"Honor your father and mother"" (This is a very important commandment with a promise.)

But for your sakes it is more important that I should still remain in the body.

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

Yet I deem it important to send Epaphroditus to you now--he is my brother and comrade both in labour and in arms, and is your messenger who has ministered to my needs.

[In this state] there cannot be [such distinctions as] Greek [i.e., Gentile] and Jew; circumcised people and non-circumcised people; barbarian and Scythian [Note: These last two words refer to foreigners whose language was unintelligible and who were uncivilized heathens], or slave and free person; but Christ is all [that is important] and [He is] in all [of His people].

And great, we confess, is the mystery [the hidden truth] of godliness:He (Jesus Christ) who was revealed in human flesh,
Was justified and vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the nations,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory.

Thus, they bring the judgment [for being untrustworthy] on themselves because they have broken their previous pledge. [Note: This probably refers to younger widows who pledged themselves to fulfill some important church activity and then quit suddenly to get married. But some suggest it refers to them leaving the faith and marrying a non-Christian].

treacherous, headstrong, self-important. They will love pleasure instead of loving God,

It is beyond dispute that the less important person is blessed by the more important person.

But as it is, Christ has acquired a [priestly] ministry which is more excellent [than the old Levitical priestly ministry], for He is the Mediator (Arbiter) of a better covenant [uniting God and man], which has been enacted and rests on better promises.

And everyone will not [have to] teach his neighbor or his brother [anymore], telling them to 'Know the Lord,' because all of them will know me [as their Lord], from the least [important] ones to the most important ones.

In accordance with his will he made us his children by the word of truth, so that we might become the most important of his creatures.

And this is important to you: The "special gift," which you received from God [See verse 20], continues to live in your hearts, [so that] you do not need anyone to teach you [anything different]. But, since this same "special gift" teaches you concerning everything that is true, and [what it teaches] is not false, you should continue to live in [fellowship with] Christ.

And the kings of the earth, and the most important people, and the military leaders, and the rich, and the powerful, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,

And the nations were enraged, but your wrath has come [anyway]. The time has come for the dead to be judged and for your servants the prophets to receive their reward, [along with] the saints and [both] the insignificant and important ones who revere your name. [It is also time] to destroy those who destroy the earth."

And this second beast forced everyone to be branded with a mark on their right hand and on their forehead --- insignificant and important people, rich and poor people, and free people and slaves ---

And the light of a lamp will never shine in you again! And the sound of a bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again! For your merchants were the most important people of the earth, because with your sorcery they deceived all the nations.

Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all of you [who are] His servants, you who are the least significant and [also] the most important ones, who revere Him."

so that you can eat the flesh of kings, and military commanders, and strong [i.e., influential ?] people, and horses with their riders, and [you can eat] the flesh of all people, the least significant [as well as] the most important ones."

And I saw dead people, the most important and the least significant ones, standing in front of the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life [Note: This refers to a record of those to whom God has granted never ending life]. And these dead people [i.e., who have now been resurrected] were judged according to their deeds, based on what was recorded in the books.