43. All the people were amazed at the great power of God. The people were still amazed about all the things Jesus did. He said to his followers,
44. “Don’t forget what I will tell you now: The Son of Man will soon be handed over to the control of other men.”
45. But the followers did not understand what he meant. The meaning was hidden from them so that they could not understand it. But they were afraid to ask Jesus about what he said.
46. Jesus’ followers began to have an argument about which one of them was the greatest.
47. Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he took a little child and stood the child beside him.
48. Then he said to the followers, “Whoever accepts a little child like this in my name is accepting me. And anyone who accepts me is also accepting the one who sent me. The one among you who is the most humble—this is the one who is great.”
49. John answered, “Master, we saw someone using your name to force demons out of people. We told him to stop because he does not belong to our group.”
50. Jesus said to him, “Don’t stop him. Whoever is not against you is for you.”
51. The time was coming near when Jesus would leave and go back to heaven. He decided to go to Jerusalem.
52. He sent some men ahead of him. They went into a town in Samaria to make everything ready for him.
53. But the people there would not welcome Jesus because he was going toward Jerusalem.
54. James and John, the followers of Jesus, saw this. They said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven and destroy those people?”
55. But Jesus turned and criticized them for saying this.
56. Then he and his followers went to another town.