18At that time the disciples came up to Jesus, saying, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ²And calling a child to himself, he had him stand in their midst ³and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven! ⁴Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child, this person is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, ⁵and whoever welcomes one child such as this in my name welcomes me. ⁶But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him that a large millstone^a be hung on^b his neck and he be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷Woe to the world because of causes for stumbling, for it is a necessity that causes for stumbling come; nevertheless, woe to the person through whom the cause for stumbling comes. ⁸And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it^* from you! It is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be thrown into the eternal fire! ⁹And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it^* from you! It is better for you to enter into life one-eyed than, having two eyes, to be thrown into fiery hell!

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹⁰“See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven constantly see the face of my Father who is in heaven.^c

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Footnotes

aLiterally “a millstone of a donkey”
bSome manuscripts have “around”
*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
cMany later Greek manuscripts include vs. 11, “For the Son of Man came to save those who are lost.”