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47 Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a child and he made him stand there at his side. 48 Jesus said, ‘If someone accepts this child because of me, then he also accepts me. And anyone who accepts me also accepts my Father God, who sent me. The person who makes himself the least important among you is really the greatest.’[a]

49 John then said, ‘Teacher, we saw a man who was speaking to people that had bad spirits in them. He was saying, “Jesus says that you must come out.” We told the man that he must not do this. We said that because he is not in our group.’

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Footnotes

  1. 9:48 Jesus' friends were thinking that a child was not important. Jesus showed them that a child is important to God. The way that they accept a child shows if they understand this. We should not think that we are more important than other people.

47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts,(A) took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(B) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”(C)

49 “Master,”(D) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

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