Mark 9:37

“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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses His disciples immediately after placing a little child among them and taking the child in His arms (Mark 9:36). He speaks this statement directly after John reports attempting to stop an independent exorcist (Mark 9:38).

The words — The Greek ἓν (hen) means "one" and παιδίων (paidiōn) means "little children," forming the phrase "one of such little children." The verb δέξηται (dexētai) translates literally as "shall receive" or "welcomes."

The thread — Matthew 10:40 and Luke 10:16 record parallel statements where receiving a messenger equals receiving the sender. Matthew 18:3 uses the child imagery to demand a fundamental change in posture to enter the kingdom.

Why it lands — The text states that accepting a dependent or low-status person counts as accepting Jesus and God the Father. It requires readers to treat such individuals with the same reverence owed to the sender.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Matthew 18:3 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 10:40 He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent 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.”
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.”
John 10:30 I and the Father are one.”
John 12:44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me.
John 14:21 Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
John 5:23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Matthew 18:10 See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.
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.’