WHO IS THE GREATEST?

18 At that timeI,t the disciplesu came to Jesus and asked, “So who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”v 2 He called a small child and had him stand among them. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like little children,w you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.x 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomesR one child like this in my name welcomes me.

6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.y 7 Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will inevitably come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes.z 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.a 9 And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire.A,b

THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP

10 “See to it that you don’t despise one of these little ones,c because I tell you that in heaven their angelsd continually view the face of my Father in heaven.* e 12 What do you think?f If someone has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go and search for the stray?g 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over that sheepC more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.