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 saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2He called a child, had him stand among them, and said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven! 4Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• Exceptἐάνean · ifG1437
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• ye be convertedστρέφωstrephō · to turnG4762
• becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• little childrenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• little childrenπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• ye shallεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
• notοὐou · noG3756
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for Matthew 18:3

• Matthew 5:18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.
• Matthew 6:2Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.
• John 1:51He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth – you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
• John 3:3Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
• Matthew 13:15For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
• Psalms 51:10Create for me a pure heart, O God! Renew a resolute spirit within me!
• Psalms 131:2Indeed I am composed and quiet, like a young child carried by its mother; I am content like the young child I carry.
• Isaiah 6:10Make the hearts of these people calloused; make their ears deaf and their eyes blind! Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”
• Mark 4:12so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven.”
• Luke 22:32but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
• Acts 3:19Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out,
• Acts 28:27For the heart of this people has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.”’
• James 5:19My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,
• Mark 10:14But 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.
• Luke 18:16But 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.
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Instead, be infants in evil, 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