Mark 9:37
New International Version
“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

New Living Translation
“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

English Standard Version
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Berean Standard Bible
“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.”

Berean Literal Bible
"Whoever shall receive one of such little children in My name, receives Me; and whoever shall receive Me, does not receive Me, but the One having sent Me."

King James Bible
Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

New King James Version
“Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

New American Standard Bible
“Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

NASB 1995
“Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

NASB 1977
“Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

Legacy Standard Bible
“Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

Amplified Bible
“Whoever receives and welcomes one child such as this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives not [only] Me, but Him who sent Me.”

Christian Standard Bible
“Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but him who sent me.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in My name welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent Me.”

American Standard Version
Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

Contemporary English Version
"When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me."

English Revised Version
Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me. Whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

Good News Translation
"Whoever welcomes in my name one of these children, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not only me but also the one who sent me."

International Standard Version
"Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

Majority Standard Bible
?Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.?

NET Bible
"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

New Heart English Bible
"Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, does not receive me, but him who sent me."

Webster's Bible Translation
Whoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

Weymouth New Testament
"Whoever for my sake receives one such young child as this, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not so much me as Him who sent me."

World English Bible
“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Whoever may receive one of such children in My Name, receives Me, and whoever may receive Me, does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

Berean Literal Bible
"Whoever shall receive one of such little children in My name, receives Me; and whoever shall receive Me, does not receive Me, but the One having sent Me."

Young's Literal Translation
'Whoever may receive one of such children in my name, doth receive me, and whoever may receive me, doth not receive me, but Him who sent me.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Whoever should receive ones of such young children in my name, receives me: and whoever should receive me, receives not me, but him sending me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Whosoever shall receive one such child as this in my name, receiveth me. And whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me.”

New American Bible
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

New Revised Standard Version
“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Whoever receives a boy like this in my name, he receives me; and he who receives me, does not receive me, but him who has sent me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Whoever shall receive one boy like this in my name is receiving me, and whoever receives me has not received me, but him who sent me.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Whoever will receive one of such children on my account, receives me; and whoever will receive me, receives not me, but him that sent me.

Godbey New Testament
Whosoever may receive one of such little children in my name, receives me: and whosoever may receive me, receives not me, but Him that sent me.

Haweis New Testament
Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me merely, but him that sent me.

Mace New Testament
whoever receives such a child as this upon my account, receives me; and he that receiveth me, does not so properly receive me, as the commands of him that sent me.

Weymouth New Testament
"Whoever for my sake receives one such young child as this, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not so much me as Him who sent me."

Worrell New Testament
"Whosoever receives one of such little children in My name, receives Me; and whosoever receives Me, receives not Me, but Him Who sent Me."

Worsley New Testament
Whoever shall receive one of these little children in my name, receiveth me; and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me only, but Him that sent me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Greatest in the Kingdom
36Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them, 37“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.” 38John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone else driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.”…

Cross References
Matthew 18:5
And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

Luke 9:48
And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

Matthew 10:40
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.

John 13:20
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”

Matthew 25:40
And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

Luke 10:16
Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

John 12:44-45
Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me. / And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me.

Galatians 4:14
And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.

1 John 3:1
Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God.

Ephesians 6:6-7
And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. / Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men,

Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

1 Peter 4:9-10
Show hospitality to one another without complaining. / As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.

Genesis 18:3-5
“My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. / Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. / And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”


Treasury of Scripture

Whoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me: and whoever shall receive me, receives not me, but him that sent me.

receive one.

Matthew 10:40-42
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me…

Matthew 18:3-5,10
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 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

receive me.

Luke 10:16
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

John 5:23
That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

John 10:30
I and my Father are one.

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Mark 9
1. Jesus is transfigured.
11. He instructs his disciples concerning the coming of Elijah;
14. casts forth a deaf and mute spirit;
30. foretells his death and resurrection;
33. exhorts his disciples to humility;
38. bidding them not to prohibit such as are not against them,
42. nor to give offense to any of the faithful.














Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me
In the cultural context of the time, children were considered to have low social status and were often overlooked. Jesus elevates their importance, emphasizing humility and service. Welcoming a child in His name signifies accepting those who are humble and dependent, reflecting the kingdom values of humility and servitude. This phrase also highlights the importance of doing acts of kindness and service in the name of Jesus, which aligns with His teachings on love and compassion.

and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me
This part of the verse underscores the unity between Jesus and God the Father. In the Jewish tradition, a messenger was often seen as an extension of the one who sent him. By welcoming Jesus, one is also welcoming God, as Jesus is the divine representative of the Father. This reflects the theological concept of the Trinity, where Jesus and the Father are distinct yet one in essence.

but the One who sent Me
This phrase refers to God the Father, who sent Jesus into the world. It emphasizes the divine mission of Jesus and His role as the Messiah. The sending of Jesus is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, such as those found in Isaiah, which speak of a coming servant who will bring salvation. This connection reinforces the idea that accepting Jesus is integral to accepting God's plan for redemption.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is teaching His disciples about the nature of true greatness in the kingdom of God.

2. The Disciples
Jesus' followers who are being instructed on humility and service.

3. A Little Child
Represents innocence, humility, and the least in society, whom Jesus uses as an example to teach a profound spiritual truth.
Teaching Points
The Value of Humility
Jesus teaches that true greatness is found in humility and service, not in status or power.

Welcoming the Least
By welcoming a child, we are called to embrace those who are often overlooked or undervalued in society.

Reflecting Christ's Character
As followers of Christ, we are to embody His humility and love, serving others selflessly.

The Kingdom Perspective
Jesus challenges worldly views of greatness, inviting us to adopt a kingdom mindset that values humility and service.

The Importance of Childlike Faith
Embracing a childlike faith means trusting God fully and approaching Him with innocence and openness.(37) Whosoever shall receive.--St. Mark omits part of what St. Matthew records, "Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself . . ." and, with St. Luke, adds the last clause, "Whosoever shall receive Me . . ." The climax carries the truth to its completion. When we love a little child in the name of Christ, i.e., for His sake, and after His manner, we are sharers in His spirit, and when we love or receive Him who was one with the Father, we enter into fellowship with Him who is the Supreme and Eternal Love. (Comp. John 14:10; John 14:23.)

Verse 37. - Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receiveth me. Whosoever shall "receive;" that is, show him offices of kindness and charity. One of such little children; that is, such in simplicity, in innocence and humility, such as this little child is in age and stature. In my Name, that is, with special regard to my Name. He thus seems to link all that is good and beautiful with his Name; as all that is really good and excellent in man is a reflection of his goodness. St. Luke (Luke 9:48) says, 'Whosoever shall receive this little child in my Name receiveth me." Our Lord, therefore, speaks first, literally of a little child, and secondly, in a mystical sense, of those who are like little children; making that little child in his arms the figure and type of all those who are like little children. The sense, therefore, of his words is this: "Humility, which is the foundation and the measure of spiritual perfection, so pleases me that I delight in little children. And all who would be my disciples must become as little children, and so will they deserve to be received by all; for men will think that they receive me in them, because they receive them for my sake."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“Whoever
Ὃς (Hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

welcomes
δέξηται (dexētai)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1209: To take, receive, accept, welcome. Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive.

one
ἓν (hen)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

of these
τοιούτων (toioutōn)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 5108: (including the other inflections); from toi and houtos; truly this, i.e. Of this sort (to denote character or individuality).

little children
παιδίων (paidiōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3813: Neuter diminutive of pais; a childling, i.e., an infant, or a half-grown boy or girl; figuratively, an immature Christian.

in
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

My
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

name
ὀνόματί (onomati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'.

welcomes
δέχεται (dechetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1209: To take, receive, accept, welcome. Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive.

Me,
ἐμὲ (eme)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

whoever
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

welcomes
δέχηται (dechētai)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1209: To take, receive, accept, welcome. Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive.

Me
ἐμὲ (eme)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

welcomes
δέχεται (dechetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1209: To take, receive, accept, welcome. Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive.

not only
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

Me,
ἐμὲ (eme)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

but
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

the [One]
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

who sent
ἀποστείλαντά (aposteilanta)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 649: From apo and stello; set apart, i.e. to send out literally or figuratively.

Me.?
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Gospels: Mark 9:37 Whoever receives one such little child (Mar Mk Mr)
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