Matthew 18:2

Matthew 18:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
• New International Version (NIV)He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,

Context of Matthew 18:2

1Soon after this, the disciples came to Jesus and they asked him, ‘Who is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven?’ Jesus called a child to come to him. He made the child stand in the middle of them all. 3He said, ‘I tell you this: You must change and become like little children. If not, you will never come into the kingdom of heaven. 4This little child does not think that he is very important. You must also think as he does. Whoever does this will be the most important person in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:2 word by word

καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος παιδίον ἔστησεν αὐτὸ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶνRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• calledπροσκαλέωproskaleomai · to call to/summonG4341
• a little childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• and setἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the midstμέσοςmesos · midstG3319

Cross-references for Matthew 18:2

• Matthew 19:13Then some people brought their little children to Jesus. They wanted him to put his hands on each child's head. They wanted him to pray for them. But the disciples told the people that they should not do that.
• 1 Kings 3:7Lord my God, I am only a young man. I have not learned how to rule well. But you have now made me become king, as my father David was king.
• Jeremiah 1:7The Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a child.” You must go to everyone that I send you to. You must say whatever I tell you to say.
• Mark 9:36Then Jesus brought a child to stand in the middle of them all. He took hold of the child and he said to the disciples,

Commentaries on Matthew 18:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A little child - But this child could walk, for he called him to him. Nicephorus says, this was Ignatius, who was afterwards bishop of Antioch, and suffered martyrdom under, and by command of, the Roman Emperor Trojan, in the 107th year of our Lord. But this good father is not much to be depended on, being both weak and credulous.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 18:2

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

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Gain
• Owe
• Patience
• Great; Greatness
• Jesus Christ
• Matthew, the Gospel of
• Papyrus
• Salvation

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