Matthew 18:4

Matthew 18:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Context of Matthew 18:4

2And Jesus having called a little child to [him], set it in their midst, 3and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens; 5and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me. 6But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were profitable for him that a great millstone had been hanged upon his neck and he be sunk in the depths of the sea.

Matthew 18:4 word by word

ὅστις οὖν ταπεινώσει ἑαυτὸν ὡς τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ μείζων ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν.Read the interlinear

• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• humbleταπεινόωtapeinoō · to humbleG5013
• childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• greatestμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• heavensοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for Matthew 18:4

• Matthew 23:11But the greatest of you shall be your servant.
• Psalms 131:1Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, and in things too wonderful for me.
• Isaiah 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, and whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy [place], and with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
• Luke 14:11for every one that exalts himself shall be abased, and he that abases himself shall be exalted.
• 1 Peter 5:5Likewise [ye] younger, be subject to [the] elder, and all of you bind on humility towards one another; for God sets himself against [the] proud, but to [the] humble gives grace.
• James 4:10Humble yourselves before [the] Lord, and he shall exalt you.
• Matthew 18:1In that hour the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?
• Matthew 20:26It shall not be thus amongst you, but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant;
• Mark 10:43but it is not thus among you; but whosoever would be great among you, shall be your minister;
• Luke 9:48and said to them, Whosoever shall receive this little child in my name receives me, and whosoever shall receive me receives him that sent me. For he who is the least among you all, he is great.

Commentaries on Matthew 18:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself - So great is the disparity between the kingdom of Christ and the kingdoms of this world, that there is no way of rising to honors in the former, but by humility of mind, and continual self-abasement. The same is greatest - Thus our Lord shows them that they were all equal, and that there could be no superiority among them, but what must come from the deepest humility; he intimates also, that wherever this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-6Verses 1-6 See also Mark 9:33-41; Luke 9:46-50. Who is the greatest in the kingdom, of heaven? - By the kingdom of heaven they meant the kingdom which they supposed he was about to set up - his kingdom as the Messiah. They asked the question because they supposed, in accordance with the common expectation of the Jews, that he was about to set up a temporal kingdom of great splendor, and they wished to know who should have the principal offices, and posts…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-35This fourth major teaching in Matthew (see study note on Matthew 5:1–7:29) focuses on how people responded to the Messiah. The disciples accepted him, while the Jewish leaders and most people did not. As this division increased, Jesus taught his disciples about community life. To follow the standards of Jesus, a community should live with: humility (18:1–5), sensitivity (18:6–9), compassion (18:10–14), discipline (18:15–18), and forgiveness (18:21–35)…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 18:4

• Babes
• Children
• Humility
• Jesus, the Christ
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Gain
• Owe
• Patience
• Baptism (lutheran Doctrine)
• Great; Greatness
• Humility
• Jesus Christ
• Matthew, the Gospel of
• Papyrus
• bind, bond, bound

Commentaries on Matthew 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings