35 Sitting down, He called the Twelve f and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” g 36 Then He took a child, h had him stand among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes i one little child such as this in My name j welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent k Me.” l

In His Name

38 John m said to Him, “Teacher, n we saw someone o driving out demons p in Your name, q and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.” r

39 “Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle s in My name who can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. t 41 And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink u because of My name, v since you belong to the * Messiah w—I assure you: x He will never lose his reward. y

Warnings from Jesus

42 “But whoever * causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me z—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone a b were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off. c It is better for you to enter life maimed d than to have two hands and go to * hell—the unquenchable fire, e [44 where

Their worm does not die,

and the fire is not quenched.] f g h

45 And if your foot causes your downfall, i cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame j than to have two feet and be thrown into hell— [the unquenchable fire, k 46 where

Their worm does not die,

and the fire is not quenched.] l m n

47 And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God o with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown p into hell, q 48 where

Their worm does not die,

and the fire is not quenched. r

49 For everyone will be salted with fire. s t u 50 Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you make it salty? v Have salt w among yourselves and be at peace x with one another.”