Matthew 18:3

Matthew 18:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
• New International Version (NIV)And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Context of Matthew 18:3

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me;

Matthew 18:3 word by word

καὶ εἶπεν· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· ἐὰν μὴ στραφῆτε καὶ γένησθε ὡς τὰ παιδία, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.Read the interlinear

• and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• “Trulyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• to you, unlessἐάνean · ifG1437
• to you, unlessμήmē · notG3361
• changeστρέφωstrephō · to turnG4762
• becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• likeὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• childrenπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• you will not enterεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for Matthew 18:3

• Matthew 5:18For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished!
• Matthew 6:2“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
• John 1:51And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
• John 3:3Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
• Matthew 13:15For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, and return, And I would heal them.’
• Psalms 51:10Create in me a clean heart, God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
• Psalms 131:2I have certainly soothed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child resting against his mother, My soul within me is like a weaned child.
• Isaiah 6:10Make the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes blind, So that they will not see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.”
• Mark 4:12so that while seeing they may see, and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear, and not understand, otherwise they might return and it would be forgiven them.”
• Luke 22:32but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
• Acts 3:19Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
• Acts 28:27For the hearts of this people have become insensitive, And with their ears they hardly hear, And they have closed their eyes; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.”’
• James 5:19My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back,
• Mark 10:14But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Allow the children to come to Me; do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
• Luke 18:16But Jesus called for the little ones, saying, “Allow the children to come to Me, and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

Commentaries on Matthew 18:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Except ye be converted - Unless ye be saved from those prejudices which are at present so baneful to your nation, (seeking a temporal and not a spiritual kingdom), unless ye be clothed with the spirit of humility, ye cannot enter into the spirit, design, and privileges of my spiritual and eternal kingdom. The name of this kingdom should put you in mind of its nature. - The King is heavenly; His Subjects are heavenly-minded; Their Country is heavenly, for…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. 3Like little children means being humble (Matthew 18:4). The disciples had been focused on status and ambition.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 18:3

• Apostles
• Babes
• Children
• Humility
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Regeneration
• Righteous
• Salvation
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Gain
• Owe
• Patience
• Baptism (lutheran Doctrine)
• Baptismal Regeneration
• Become
• Conversion
• God
• Great; Greatness
• Jesus Christ

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