Matthew 18:3
New International Version
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

New Living Translation
Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.

English Standard Version
and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Berean Standard Bible
“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Berean Literal Bible
and said, "Truly I say to you, if you are not converted and become as the little children, you shall never enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

King James Bible
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

New King James Version
and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

New American Standard Bible
and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

NASB 1995
and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

NASB 1977
and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Legacy Standard Bible
and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Amplified Bible
and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Christian Standard Bible
“Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“I assure you,” He said, “unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

American Standard Version
and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said, “Truly I say to you, unless you will be converted and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Contemporary English Version
Then he said: I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

English Revised Version
and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Good News Translation
and said, "I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.

International Standard Version
Then he said, "I tell all of you with certainty, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom from heaven.

Literal Standard Version
and said, “Truly I say to you, if you may not be turned and become as the children, you may not enter into the kingdom of the heavens;

Majority Standard Bible
“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

New American Bible
and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

NET Bible
and said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!

New Revised Standard Version
and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

New Heart English Bible
and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Webster's Bible Translation
And said, Verily I say to you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Weymouth New Testament
said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no case be admitted into the Kingdom of the Heavens.

World English Bible
and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Young's Literal Translation
and said, 'Verily I say to you, if ye may not be turned and become as the children, ye may not enter into the reign of the heavens;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Greatest in the Kingdom
2Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. 3“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.…

Cross References
Psalm 131:2
Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Matthew 18:2
Jesus invited a little child to stand among them.

Matthew 18:4
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Mark 10:15
Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Luke 18:17
Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.


Treasury of Scripture

And said, Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Verily.

Matthew 5:18
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Matthew 6:2,5,16
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward…

John 1:51
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Except.

Matthew 13:15
For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Psalm 51:10-13
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me…

Psalm 131:2
Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

and become.

Mark 10:14,15
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God…

Luke 18:16,17
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God…

1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

enter.

Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:23
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 13:24
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

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Admitted Case Children Converted Enter Except Heart Heaven Heavens Kingdom Little Reign Solemn Truth Turn Turned Unless Verily Way Wise
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Admitted Case Children Converted Enter Except Heart Heaven Heavens Kingdom Little Reign Solemn Truth Turn Turned Unless Verily Way Wise
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.














(3) Except ye be converted.--The English word expresses the force of the Greek, but the "conversion" spoken of was not used in the definite, half-technical sense of later religious experiences. What was needed was that they should "turn" from their self-seeking ambition, and regain, in this respect, the relative blamelessness of children.

Ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.--The force of the words as spoken to the Twelve can hardly be exaggerated. They were disputing about precedence in the kingdom, and in that very dispute they were showing that they were not truly in it. It was essentially spiritual, and its first condition was abnegation of self. Even the chief of the Apostles was self-excluded when he gloried in his primacy. The words at least help us to understand the more mysterious language of John 3:3; John 3:5, as to the "new birth" of water and the Spirit, which one, at least, of the disputants must, in all likelihood, have heard.

Verse 3. - Except ye be converted στραφῆτε); i.e. turned from proud, ambitious thoughts of worldly dignity. There is no question here about what is popularly known as conversion - the change from habitual sin to holiness. The conversion here spoken of is confined to a change in the present state of mind - to a new direction given to the thoughts and wishes. The apostles had shown rivalry, jealousy, ambition: they must turn away from such failings, and learn a different lesson. Become as little children. Christ points to little children as the model to which the members of his kingdom must assimilate themselves. The special attributes of children which he would recommend are humility, unworldliness, simplicity, teachableness, - the direct contraries of self-seeking, worldliness, distrust, conceit. Ye shall not enter. In the sermon on the mount Christ had said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). To all who are not such the gate opens not. That virtue which was unknown to pagan antiquity, the opposite character to which was upholden as the acme of excellence, Christ here asserts to be the only passport to his ideal Church on earth or its eternal development in heaven. Not the self-esteeming, proud man (μεγαλόψυχος) of Aristotle's worship ('Eth. Nic.,' 4:3), but the humble (ταπεινὸς), the lowly, the self-depreciating, is the man who can realize his position in the spiritual world, and shall be admitted to its blessings and benefits. St. Paul has summarized the ideal character of the members of the kingdom in 1 Corinthians 13, especially vers. 4, 5, and 7.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“Truly
Ἀμὴν (Amēn)
Hebrew Word
Strong's 281: Of Hebrew origin; properly, firm, i.e. trustworthy; adverbially, surely.

I tell
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

you,”
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

He said,
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“unless
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

you change
στραφῆτε (straphēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4762: Strengthened from the base of trope; to twist, i.e. Turn quite around or reverse.

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

become
γένησθε (genēsthe)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

like
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

little children,
παιδία (paidia)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3813: Neuter diminutive of pais; a childling, i.e., an infant, or a half-grown boy or girl; figuratively, an immature Christian.

you will never enter
εἰσέλθητε (eiselthēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

kingdom
βασιλείαν (basileian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 932: From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm.

of
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

heaven.
οὐρανῶν (ouranōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 18:3 And said Most certainly I tell you (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 18:2
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