Focused Passage

Matthew 18:1-9

Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community

Matthew moves from the disciples’ question about greatness, to Jesus’ child-centered call to humility, to warnings against causing little ones to stumble, to radical action against sin, to the Father’s care for the little ones, to the pursuit of wandering sheep, to procedures for confronting sin and involving the church, to binding and loosing with Christ’s presence, and finally to the necessity of unlimited forgiveness rooted in the King’s mercy.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2Jesus invited a little child to stand among them.

3“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!

8If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

9And if your eye causes you to sin, 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 the fire of hell.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

AtἘνG1722PrepositionthatἐκείνῃG1565Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular-τῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingulartimeὥρᾳG5610Noun - Dative Feminine SingulartheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluraldisciplesμαθηταὶG3101Noun - Nominative Masculine PluralcameπροσῆλθονG4334Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine Singularto JesusἸησοῦG2424Noun - Dative Masculine Singular[and] askedλέγοντεςG3004Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralWhoΤίςG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularthenἄραG686ConjunctionisἐστὶνG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular[the] greatestμείζωνG3173Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - ComparativeinἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingularkingdomβασιλείᾳG932Noun - Dative Feminine SingularofτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralheavenοὐρανῶνG3772Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 2

Original words

-ΚαὶG2532Conjunction[Jesus] invitedπροσκαλεσάμενοςG4341Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singulara little childπαιδίονG3813Noun - Accusative Neuter Singularto standἔστησενG2476Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .αὐτὸG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person SingularvvvἐνG1722PrepositionvvvαὐτῶνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Pluralamong themμέσῳG3319Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Verse 3

Original words

TrulyἈμὴνG281Hebrew WordI tellλέγωG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural-καὶG2532ConjunctionHe saidεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularunlessἐὰνG1437Conjunction. . .μὴG3361Adverbyou changeστραφῆτεG4762Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctionbecomeγένησθεG1096Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 2nd Person PlurallikeὡςG5613Adverb-τὰG3588Article - Nominative Neuter Plurallittle childrenπαιδίαG3813Noun - Nominative Neuter PluralvvvοὐG3756AdverbvvvμὴG3361Adverbyou will never enterεἰσέλθητεG1525Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural. . .εἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularkingdomβασιλείανG932Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularofτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralheavenοὐρανῶνG3772Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 4

Original words

ThereforeοὖνG3767ConjunctionwhoeverὅστιςG3748Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularhumblesταπεινώσειG5013Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhimselfἑαυτὸνG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularlikeὡςG5613AdverbthisτοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular-τὸG3588Article - Nominative Neuter Singularlittle childπαιδίονG3813Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular-οὗτόςG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularisἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingulargreatestμείζωνG3173Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - ComparativeinἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingularkingdomβασιλείᾳG932Noun - Dative Feminine SingularofτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralheavenοὐρανῶνG3772Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 5

Original words

AndκαὶG2532ConjunctionwhoeverὃςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularvvvἐὰνG1437ConjunctionwelcomesδέξηταιG1209Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person SingularaἓνG1520Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singularlittle childπαιδίονG3813Noun - Accusative Neuter Singularlike thisτοιοῦτοG5108Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularinἐπὶG1909PrepositionMyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter SingularnameὀνόματίG3686Noun - Dative Neuter SingularwelcomesδέχεταιG1209Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularMeἐμὲG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Verse 6

Original words

Butδ’G1161ConjunctionifἂνG302ParticleanyoneὋςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularcausesσκανδαλίσῃG4624Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularoneἕναG1520Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singularof theseτούτωνG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Plurallittle onesμικρῶνG3398Adjective - Genitive Masculine PluralwhoτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralbelieveπιστευόντωνG4100Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine PluralinεἰςG1519PrepositionMe {to stumble}ἐμέG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singularit would be betterσυμφέρειG4851Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularfor himαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singularto haveἵναG2443Conjunctiona largeὀνικὸςG3684Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularmillstoneμύλοςG3458Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularhungκρεμασθῇG2910Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person SingulararoundπερὶG4012PrepositionhisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularneckτράχηλονG5137Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionto be drownedκαταποντισθῇG2670Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person SingularinἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter SingulardepthsπελάγειG3989Noun - Dative Neuter Singularof theτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularseaθαλάσσηςG2281Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 7

Original words

WoeΟὐαὶG3759Interjectionto theτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularworldκόσμῳG2889Noun - Dative Masculine SingularforἀπὸG575PrepositiontheτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Neuter Pluralcauses of sinσκανδάλωνG4625Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural-γὰρG1063Conjunction[These]τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Pluralstumbling blocksσκάνδαλαG4625Noun - Accusative Neuter PluralmustἀνάγκηG318Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularcomeἐλθεῖνG2064Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivebutπλὴνG4133ConjunctionwoeοὐαὶG3759Interjectionto theτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularmanἀνθρώπῳG444Noun - Dative Masculine Singularthroughδι’G1223PrepositionwhomοὗG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular-τὸG3588Article - Nominative Neuter Singular[they]σκάνδαλονG4625Noun - Nominative Neuter SingularcomeἔρχεταιG2064Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 8

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionIfΕἰG1487ConjunctionyourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularhandχείρG5495Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularorG2228ConjunctionyourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularfootπούςG4228Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularcauses you to sinσκανδαλίζειG4624Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .σεG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singularcut it offἔκκοψονG1581Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular. . .αὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionthrow it awayβάλεG906Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular. . .ἀπὸG575Preposition. . .σοῦG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularIt isἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularbetterκαλόνG2570Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singularfor youσοίG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singularto enterεἰσελθεῖνG1525Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active. . .εἰςG1519Preposition-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularlifeζωὴνG2222Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularcrippledκυλλὸνG2948Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularorG2228ConjunctionlameχωλόνG5560Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularthanG2228Conjunctionto haveἔχονταG2192Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine SingulartwoδύοG1417Adjective - Accusative Feminine PluralhandsχεῖραςG5495Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural[and]G2228ConjunctiontwoδύοG1417Adjective - Accusative Masculine PluralfeetπόδαςG4228Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural[and] be thrownβληθῆναιG906Verb - Aorist Infinitive PassiveintoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Singular-τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingulareternalαἰώνιονG166Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularfireπῦρG4442Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 9

Original words

AndκαὶG2532ConjunctionifεἰG1487ConjunctionyourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingulareyeὀφθαλμόςG3788Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularcauses you to sinσκανδαλίζειG4624Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .σεG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singulargouge it outἔξελεG1807Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular. . .αὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionthrow it awayβάλεG906Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular. . .ἀπὸG575Preposition. . .σοῦG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularIt isἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularbetterκαλόνG2570Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singularfor youσοίG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singularto enterεἰσελθεῖνG1525Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active. . .εἰςG1519Preposition-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularlifeζωὴνG2222Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularwith one eyeμονόφθαλμονG3442Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularthanG2228Conjunctionto haveἔχονταG2192Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine SingulartwoδύοG1417Adjective - Accusative Masculine PluraleyesὀφθαλμοὺςG3788Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural[and] be thrownβληθῆναιG906Verb - Aorist Infinitive PassiveintoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularfireπυρόςG4442Noun - Genitive Neuter SingularofτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter SingularhellγέεννανG1067Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or the hell of fire; Greek the Gehenna of fire

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.