Interlude: Whom Is the Greatest

(the Message 18:1-5)
" At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, "Who gets the highest rank in God's kingdom?"

2-5For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me.

(ESV Matthew 18:1-5)
1^(A) At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you^(B) turn and^(C) become like children, you^(D) will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4^(E) Whoever humbles himself like this child is the^(F) greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5^(G) "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6but^(H) whoever causes one of these^(I) little ones who believe in me to sin,^[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.