Mark 9:33-41

New King James Version

Who Is the Greatest?^(A)

^33 (B)Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you ^[a]disputed among yourselves on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept silent, for on the road they had ^(C)disputed among themselves who would be the ^(D)greatest. ³⁵ And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ^(E)“If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶ Then ^(F)He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and ^(G)whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

Jesus Forbids Sectarianism^(H)

^38 (I)Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”

³⁹ But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, ^(J)for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰ For ^(K)he who is not against ^[b]us is on ^[c]our side. ^41 (L)For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.