Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Matthew 18:3

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.

KJV

καὶ εἶπεν· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ στραφῆτε καὶ γένησθε ὡς τὰ παιδία, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.

Greek NT

et dixit : Amen dico vobis, nisi conversi fueritis, et efficiamini sicut parvuli, non intrabitis in regnum cælorum.

Vulgate

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.

ASV

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.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

16 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

βασιλεία
basileia
noun · 162×
γίνομαι
ginomai
verb · 667×
εἰς
eis
preposition · 1769×
εἰσέρχομαι
eiserchomai
verb · 195×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
μή
me
particle · 1033×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
οὐρανός
ouranos
noun · 274×
παιδίον
paidion
noun · 52×
στρέφω
strepho
verb · 22×
ἀμήν
amen
hebrew_word · 124×
ἐάν
ean
conditional · 333×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὑμεῖς
umeis
pronoun · 1828×
ὡς
os
adverb · 502×

Themes

Historic Christian voices

6 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§526To become a child in relation to God is the condition for entering the kingdom.205 For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become "children of God" we must be "born from above" or "born of God".206 Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us.207 Christmas is the mystery of this "marvellous exchange": O marvellous…
§2785Second, a humble and trusting heart that enables us "to turn and become like children":41 for it is to "little children" that the Father is revealed.42 [The prayer is accomplished] by the contemplation of God alone, and by the warmth of love, through which the soul, molded and directed to love him, speaks very familiarly to God as to its own Father with special devotion.43 Our …
Homilies on Matthew · 2 passages
2. What then ought they to have done after this? Ought they not to have held their peace, and to have commended the saying? Ought they not to have marvelled at His wisdom? Ought they not to have stood amazed at His accordance with the Father? But none of these things do they, but as though they were contending for the law, they say, How then did Moses command to give a writing …
2. Yet none of these things made them take courage, and this when they were continually hearing about His resurrection. For together with His death this also especially troubled them, to hear that men should mock and scourge Him, and the like. For when they considered His miracles, the possessed persons whom He had delivered, the dead whom He had raised, all the other marvellou…
He said to me, "Be guileless, and become as an infant who knows no evil which ruins the life of men. First, speak evil of no one, nor listen with pleasure to anyone who speaks evil of another. Otherwise thou also by listening art a partaker of the sin of him who speaks evil."

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 14:20 — Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
  • 1Cor 14:20 — Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
  • 1Kgs 3:7 — And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
  • 1Pet 2:2 — As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
  • 1Pet 2:2 — As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
  • 2Pet 1:11 — For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
  • Acts 3:19 — Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
  • Acts 3:19 — Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
  • Acts 8:31 — And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
  • Acts 14:22 — Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
  • Acts 28:27 — For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with th
  • Jas 5:19 — Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
  • 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.
  • John 3:3 — Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
  • John 3:5 — Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
  • John 3:5 — Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
  • John 6:53 — Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
  • 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.
  • Luke 17:2 — It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
  • Luke 18:16 — 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.
  • Luke 18:16 — 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.
  • Luke 18:17 — Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
  • Luke 22:26 — But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
  • Luke 22:32 — But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
  • Luke 22:32 — But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
  • Mark 4:12 — That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
  • 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.
  • Mark 10:14 — 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.
  • Mark 10:15 — Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
  • Mark 10:23 — And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
  • Matt 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.
  • Matt 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.
  • Matt 6:2 — 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 t
  • Matt 6:5 — And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you,
  • Matt 6:16 — Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
  • Matt 7:21 — Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
  • Matt 11:25 — At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
  • Matt 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 under
  • Matt 19:14 — But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
  • Matt 19:14 — But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.