# Matthew 18.1

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> **1. In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?**
>
> 2. And he called to him a little child, and set him in the middle of them, 3. and said, <span class="rl-speech">Truly I say unto you, Except you turn, and become as little sons, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.</span> (Matthew 18:1-3, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> **1. In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”**
>
> 2. Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them, 3. and said, <span class="rl-speech">“Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.</span> (Matthew 18:1-3, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> **1. At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?**
>
> 2. And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 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. (Matthew 18:1-3, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> **1. At that hour came the disciples near to Jesus, saying, 'Who, now, is greater in the reign of the heavens?'**
>
> 2. And Jesus having called near a child, did set him in the midst of them, 3. and said, <span class="rl-speech">'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;</span> (Matthew 18:1-3, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [God and the Killing of Children](/codex/god-and-the-killing-of-children/), via [Matthew 18.1-6](/codex/matthew-18-1-6/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.