New International Version
Matthew 18:2
2He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
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,
- 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,
- New Living Translation (NLT)Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.
Context of Matthew 18:2
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Read all of Matthew 18Matthew 18:2 word by word
καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος παιδίον ἔστησεν αὐτὸ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶνRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Matthew 18:2
- Matthew 19:13Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.
- 1 Kings 3:7“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.
- Jeremiah 1:7But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.
- Mark 9:36He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,
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
In the dictionaries
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
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