Matius 18:3

18:3 and said, “I tell you the truth, ¹  unless you turn around and become like little children, ²  you will never ³  enter the kingdom of heaven!

Matius 18:1

Questions About the Greatest

18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

1 Petrus 2:2

2:2 And ⁴  yearn ⁵  like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, ⁶  so that by it you may grow up to ⁷  salvation, ⁸ 

[18:3]  ¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[18:3]  ² sn The point of the comparison become like little children has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit, as well as willingness to be dependent and receive from others, than any inherent humility the child might possess.

[18:3]  ³ tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.

[2:2]  ⁴ tn Here “And” has been supplied in the translation to show clearly the connection between vv. 1 and 2.

[2:2]  ⁵ tn Grk “getting rid of…yearn for.”

[2:2]  ⁶ tn The word for spiritual in Greek is λογικός (logikos), which is a play on words with the reference in 1:23-25 to the living and enduring word (λόγος, logos) of God, through which they were born anew. This is a subtle indication that the nourishment for their growth must be the word of God.

[2:2]  ⁷ tn Or “in, in regard to.” But the focus of “salvation” here, as in 1:5, 9, is the future deliverance of these who have been born anew and protected by God’s power.

[2:2]  ⁸ tc The Byzantine text lacks εἰς σωτηρίαν (ei" swthrian, “to salvation”), while the words are found in the earliest and best witnesses (Ì⁷² א A B C K P Ψ 33 81 630 1241 1505 1739 al latt sy co). Not only is the longer reading superior externally, but since the notion of growing up [in]to salvation would have seemed theologically objectionable, it is easy to see why some scribes would omit it.