31. For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise three days later.”
32. But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.
33. Then they came to Capernaum. When He was in the house, He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way? ”
34. But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.
35. Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
36. Then He took a child, had him stand among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them,
37. “Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in My name welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent Me.”
38. John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”
39. “Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name who can soon afterward speak evil of Me.
40. For whoever is not against us is for us.
41. And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of My name, since you belong to the Messiah — I assure you: He will never lose his reward.
42. “But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me — it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
43. And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell — the unquenchable fire,