Matthew 18:5
New International Version
And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

New Living Translation
“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

English Standard Version
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,

Berean Standard Bible
And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

Berean Literal Bible
And whoever shall receive one such little child in My name, receives Me.

King James Bible
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

New King James Version
Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

New American Standard Bible
And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me;

NASB 1995
“And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;

NASB 1977
“And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;

Legacy Standard Bible
And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;

Amplified Bible
Whoever receives and welcomes one child like this in My name receives Me;

Christian Standard Bible
And whoever welcomes one child like this in my name welcomes me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me.

American Standard Version
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me:

Contemporary English Version
And when you welcome one of these children because of me, you welcome me.

English Revised Version
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.

Good News Translation
And whoever welcomes in my name one such child as this, welcomes me.

International Standard Version
and whoever receives a little child like this in my name receives me."

Majority Standard Bible
And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

NET Bible
And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.

New Heart English Bible
Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

Webster's Bible Translation
And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.

Weymouth New Testament
And whoever for my sake receives one young child such as this, receives me.

World English Bible
Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he who may receive one such child in My Name, receives Me,

Berean Literal Bible
And whoever shall receive one such little child in My name, receives Me.

Young's Literal Translation
'And he who may receive one such child in my name, doth receive me,

Smith's Literal Translation
And whoever shall receive such a young child in my name, receives me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And whoever shall accept one such little child in my name, accepts me.

New American Bible
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

New Revised Standard Version
Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he who will welcome one like this little boy, in my name, welcomes me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And whoever will receive one such as this boy, in my name, receives me.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And whoever receives one such little child on my account, receives me;

Godbey New Testament
and whosoever shall receive such little child in my name, receives me.

Haweis New Testament
And whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.

Mace New Testament
and whoever shall receive one that is like such a child, in my name, receiveth me.

Weymouth New Testament
And whoever for my sake receives one young child such as this, receives me.

Worrell New Testament
And whosoever receives one such little child in My name, receives Me.

Worsley New Testament
and whoever shall receive one such little child for my sake, receiveth me:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Greatest in the Kingdom
4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.…

Cross References
Mark 9:37
“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.”

Luke 9:48
And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

Matthew 10:40
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.

John 13:20
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”

Matthew 25:40
And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

Galatians 4:14
And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.

1 John 3:1
Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

1 John 4:20
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God.

Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Proverbs 19:17
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.

Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.

Zechariah 2:8
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—

Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Exodus 23:9
Do not oppress a foreign resident, since you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.


Treasury of Scripture

And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me.

receive.

Matthew 10:40-42
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me…

Matthew 25:40,45
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me…

Mark 9:41
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

receiveth.

Mark 9:37
Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

John 13:20
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Galatians 4:14
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

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Matthew 18
1. Jesus warns his disciples to be humble and harmless,
7. to avoid offenses,
10. and not to despise the little ones;
15. teaches how we are to deal with our brothers when they offend us,
21. and how often to forgive them;
23. which he sets forth by a parable of the king who took account of his servants,
32. and punished him who showed no mercy to his fellow servant.














And whoever
This phrase opens the verse with an inclusive invitation, indicating that the message is not limited to a specific group but is applicable to all believers. The Greek word for "whoever" is "hos," which is often used to denote an indefinite person or group, emphasizing the universal nature of Jesus' teaching. This inclusivity reflects the open arms of the Gospel, inviting all to participate in the kingdom of God.

welcomes
The Greek word used here is "δέχεται" (dechetai), which means to receive or accept. In the cultural context of the time, welcoming someone was not merely a polite gesture but an act of hospitality and acceptance into one's community or home. This act of welcoming is a reflection of the heart's posture towards others, especially those who are vulnerable or marginalized, like children.

a little child
The term "little child" is translated from the Greek word "παιδίον" (paidion), which refers to a young child or infant. In the historical context, children were considered the least in society, without status or power. By using a child as an example, Jesus is teaching about humility and the importance of valuing those whom society might overlook. This reflects the kingdom values of humility, innocence, and dependence on God.

like this
This phrase points back to the previous verses where Jesus places a child in the midst of the disciples to illustrate His point. The child represents the qualities that Jesus values: humility, simplicity, and trust. The phrase "like this" serves as a reminder to emulate these qualities in our own lives and interactions with others.

in My name
The phrase "in My name" signifies acting with the authority and character of Jesus. In the biblical context, a name represents the essence and nature of a person. To welcome a child in Jesus' name means to do so with His love, compassion, and humility. It is an acknowledgment of His lordship and a commitment to living out His teachings.

welcomes Me
This powerful conclusion equates the act of welcoming a child with welcoming Jesus Himself. It underscores the profound truth that how we treat the least among us is a reflection of our relationship with Christ. This statement challenges believers to see Jesus in every person, especially those who are vulnerable and in need of care. It is a call to embody the love and grace of Christ in all our interactions.

(5) Whoso shall receive one such little child.--The words are memorable as the first utterance of the truth afterwards proclaimed as the law of final judgment in Matthew 25:40, and as giving to that law the widest possible range of universality. No child of man is excluded from those whom Christ calls His brethren.

Verses 5-14. - The treatment due to such. Verse 5. - Shall receive (ο{ς ἐὰν δέξηται). The word is pregnant with meaning. It includes not only the showing of tender affection and the giving of material succour, such as hospitality, shelter, etc., but also the bestowal of help and support in spiritual things, encouragement in holiness, instruction in Divine lore. One such little child. Primarily, Jesus refers to children, pure and confiding as the one he had placed in the midst; but his words are applicable to all who have the childlike spirit and character, the graces which he specially loves and rewards. The expressions here and in the next verse must be understood to belong in some cases to the symbol, and in others to the symbolized. In my Name (ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου); for the sake of my Name; because he belongs to me; not merely from natural affection and pity, but from a higher motive, because the child has in him somewhat of Christ - is the child of God, and a member of Christ. Receiveth me. That which is done to his little ones Christ regards as done to himself (comp. Matthew 10:40-42). What a blessing waits on those who teach the young, working laboriously in schools, and training souls for heaven! This "receiving" Christ is a far higher and better thing than being "greatest" in an earthly kingdom.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

whoever
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

welcomes
δέξηται (dexētai)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1209: To take, receive, accept, welcome. Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive.

a
ἓν (hen)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

little child
παιδίον (paidion)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3813: Neuter diminutive of pais; a childling, i.e., an infant, or a half-grown boy or girl; figuratively, an immature Christian.

like this
τοιοῦτο (toiouto)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5108: (including the other inflections); from toi and houtos; truly this, i.e. Of this sort (to denote character or individuality).

in
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

My
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

name
ὀνόματί (onomati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'.

welcomes
δέχεται (dechetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1209: To take, receive, accept, welcome. Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive.

Me.
ἐμὲ (eme)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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