Matthew 18:1-10

1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?

2 And Jesus having called a little child to [him], set it in their midst,

3 and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

4 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, *he* is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens;

5 and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me.

6 But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were profitable for him that a great millstone had been hanged upon his neck and he be sunk in the depths of the sea.

7 Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; yet woe to that man by whom the offence comes!

8 And if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off and cast [it] from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life lame or maimed, [rather] than having two hands or two feet to be cast into eternal fire.

9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast [it] from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life one-eyed, [rather] than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire.

10 See that ye do not despise one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in [the] heavens continually behold the face of my Father who is in [the] heavens.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'in no wise:' a strengthened negative.
• [b]. The Greek word is the comparative, hence 'greater' than others: it is thus characteristic, not personal. 'Greatest' answers to it in English.
• [c]. Lit. an 'ass-millstone,' i.e. turned by an ass, as too great for the hand.
• [d]. That is, 'be a snare to,' verb from Skandalon: see Note, ch. 13.57.
• [e]. Gehenna.