Matthew 18:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Questions About the Greatest At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying,“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶Ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ προσῆλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ, λέγοντες, Τίς ἄρα μείζων ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν;

Transliteration

In ekeinē the hōra prosēlthon the mathētai to the Iēsou, legontes, who ara meizōn estin in the basileia of the ouranōn?

Grammar Details

• *ekeinē*: demonstrative pronoun, dative, feminine, singular - that
• *hōra*: noun, dative, feminine, singular - hour/time
• *prosēlthon*: verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd person, plural - came to/approached
• *mathētai*: noun, nominative, masculine, plural - disciples
• *Iēsou*: noun, dative, masculine, singular - Jesus
• *legontes*: participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, plural - saying
• *ara*: interrogative particle - then/therefore
• *meizōn*: adjective, comparative, nominative, masculine, singular - greater
• *estin*: verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd person, singular - is
• *basileia*: noun, dative, feminine, singular - kingdom
• *ouranōn*: noun, genitive, masculine, plural - heavens

Word Meanings

• *hōra*: hour/time/moment
• *prosēlthon*: came to/approached/drew near
• *mathētai*: disciples/students/followers
• *ara*: then/therefore/consequently
• *meizōn*: greater/more important/superior
• *basileia*: kingdom/reign/rule
• *ouranōn*: heavens/skies

Referenced Verses

• Matt 20:20-28 : 20 A Request for James and John Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor. 21 He said to her,“What do you want?” She replied,“Permit these two sons of mine to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered,“You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” They said to him,“We are able.” 23 He told them,“You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 Now when the other ten heard this, they were angry with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them and said,“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave– 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
• Luke 9:46-48 : 46 Concerning the Greatest Now an argument started among the disciples as to which of them might be the greatest. 47 But when Jesus discerned their innermost thoughts, he took a child, had him stand by his side, 48 and said to them,“Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, for the one who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
• Mark 9:33-37 : 33 Questions About the Greatest Then they came to Capernaum. After Jesus was inside the house he asked them,“What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 After he sat down, he called the twelve and said to them,“If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
• Mark 10:14-15 : 14 But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them,“Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
• Mark 10:35-45 : 35 The Request of James and John Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said,“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 He said to them,“What do you want me to do for you?” 37 They said to him,“Permit one of us to sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them,“You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I experience?” 39 They said to him,“We are able.” Then Jesus said to them,“You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I experience, 40 but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give. It is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 Now when the other ten heard this, they became angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called them and said to them,“You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
• Luke 22:24-27 : 24 A dispute also started among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 So Jesus said to them,“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called‘benefactors.’ 26 Not so with you; instead the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is seated at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
• Matt 3:2 : 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”