33. Then they came to Capernaum. After Jesus was inside the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”
34. But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.
35. After he sat 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. He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
37. “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
38. John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.”
39. But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me.
40. For whoever is not against us is for us.
41. For I tell you the truth, whoever gives you a cup of water because you bear Christ’s name will never lose his reward.
42. “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.
43. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, to the unquenchable fire.
45. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.