Matthew 18:4

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Matt 23:11-12 : 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
  • Mark 10:43 : 43 But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,
  • Luke 9:48 : 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.”
  • Luke 14:11 : 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
  • Jas 4:10 : 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.
  • 1 Pet 5:5 : 5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
  • Ps 131:1-2 : 1 A song of ascents, by David. O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor do I have a haughty look. I do not have great aspirations, or concern myself with things that are beyond me. 2 Indeed, I have calmed and quieted myself like a weaned child with its mother; I am content like a young child.
  • Isa 57:15 : 15 For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy:“I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.
  • Matt 18:1 : 1 Questions About the Greatest At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying,“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
  • Matt 20:26-27 : 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–

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Matt 18:5-6
    2 verses
    85%

    5And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.

    6“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea.

  • Luke 18:14-17
    4 verses
    85%

    14I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

    15Jesus and Little Children Now people were even bringing their babies to him for him to touch. But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them.

    16But Jesus called for the children, saying,“Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

    17I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

  • Matt 18:1-3
    3 verses
    85%

    1Questions About the Greatest At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying,“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

    2He called a child, had him stand among them,

    3and said,“I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!

  • Mark 10:13-16
    4 verses
    84%

    13Jesus and Little Children Now people were bringing little children to him for him to touch, but the disciples scolded those who brought them.

    14But 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.

    15I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

    16After he took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed them.

  • Luke 9:46-48
    3 verses
    81%

    46Concerning the Greatest Now an argument started among the disciples as to which of them might be the greatest.

    47But when Jesus discerned their innermost thoughts, he took a child, had him stand by his side,

    48and 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 9:34-37
    4 verses
    79%

    34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

    35After 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.”

    36He 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.”

  • Matt 23:11-12
    2 verses
    78%

    11The greatest among you will be your servant.

    12And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

  • Matt 19:13-14
    2 verses
    77%

    13Jesus and Little Children Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded those who brought them.

    14But Jesus said,“Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

  • Matt 18:10
    74%

    10The Parable of the Lost Sheep“See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

  • Mark 10:43-44
    2 verses
    73%

    43But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

    44and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all.

  • Luke 14:10-11
    2 verses
    73%

    10But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host approaches he will say to you,‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you.

    11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

  • Matt 11:11
    72%

    11“I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is!

  • Matt 20:26-27
    2 verses
    72%

    26It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

    27and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave–

  • Luke 22:26-27
    2 verses
    72%

    26Not so with you; instead the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves.

    27For 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 5:19
    71%

    19So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

  • Mark 9:42
    71%

    42“If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

  • Matt 5:5
    70%

    5“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

  • Jas 4:10
    70%

    10Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.

  • Matt 18:14
    70%

    14In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.

  • Luke 7:28
    70%

    28I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.”

  • Mark 4:31
    70%

    31It is like a mustard seed that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground–

  • Matt 5:9
    69%

    9“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

  • Luke 17:2
    69%

    2It would be better for him to have a millstone tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

  • Matt 5:3
    68%

    3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

  • Mark 10:31
    68%

    31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

  • Matt 13:32
    68%

    32It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches.”

  • Matt 21:16
    68%

    16and said to him,“Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them,“Yes. Have you never read,‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?”

  • 1 John 4:4
    68%

    4You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

  • 1 Pet 5:6
    67%

    6And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand

  • Matt 8:12
    67%

    12but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”