Greatest in the Kingdom

Back in the house in Capernaum, Jesus asked His disciples, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way to Capernaum, the apostles had been arguing about which of them was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, sat down and called the twelve apostles to Him and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”

There were children in the house and Jesus invited one of the children to stand beside Him. “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." 

Then Jesus took the child in His arms and said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me but the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

See Matthew 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48

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