Mark 9:32-44

³²But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

³³He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing amongst yourselves on the way?”

³⁴But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.

³⁵He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”

³⁶He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,

³⁷“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”

³⁸John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”

³⁹But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me.

⁴⁰For whoever is not against us is on our side.

⁴¹For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.

⁴²“Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck.

⁴³If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,

⁴⁴‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’