MAT 18:5 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Καί
2. kai
3. And
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y32
11. 12001
1. ὅς
2. hos
3. whoever
4. -
5. 37390
6. R····NMS
7. whoever
8. whoever
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12002
1. ἄν
2. an
3. -
4. -
5. 3020
6. T·······
7. ¬wishfully
8. ¬wishfully
9. -
10. -
11. 12003
1. ἐάν
2. ean
3. if
4. -
5. 14370
6. T·······
7. ¬if
8. ¬if
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12004
1. δέξηται
2. deχomai
3. may receive
4. -
5. 12090
6. VSAM3··S
7. ˓may˒ receive
8. ˓may˒ receive
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12005
1. ἕν
2. heis
3. one
4. Anyone
5. 15200
6. E····ANS
7. one
8. one
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12006
1. παιδίον
2. paidion
3. little child
4. small child
5. 38130
6. N····ANS
7. little_child
8. little_child
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12007
1. ἕν
2. heis
3. -
4. -
5. 15200
6. E····ANS
7. one
8. one
9. -
10. -
11. 12008
1. τοιοῦτο
2. toioutos
3. such
4. -
5. 51080
6. E····ANS
7. such
8. such
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12009
1. τοιοῦτον
2. toioutos
3. -
4. -
5. 51080
6. E····AMS
7. such
8. such
9. -
10. -
11. 12010
1. ἕν
2. heis
3. -
4. -
5. 15200
6. E····ANS
7. one
8. one
9. -
10. -
11. 12011
1. ἐπί
2. epi
3. in
4. -
5. 19090
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12012
1. τῷ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DNS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12013
1. ὀνόματι
2. onoma
3. name
4. name
5. 36860
6. N····DNS
7. name
8. name
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12014
1. μού
2. egō
3. of me
4. my
5. 14730
6. R···1G·S
7. ˱of˲ me
8. ˱of˲ me
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12015
1. ἐμέ
2. egō
3. me
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1A·S
7. me
8. me
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12016
1. δέχεται
2. deχomai
3. is receiving
4. receiving
5. 12090
6. VIPM3··S
7. ˓is˒ receiving
8. ˓is˒ receiving
9. -
10. Y32
11. 12017

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 18:5–9: Do not cause anyone to sin

In the previous section, Jesus used a child to illustrate what it meant for a disciple to be great in the kingdom. In this section, he compared a humble disciple to a child. He warned people not to cause one of them to sin. If they did, the consequences would be serious.

Jesus also warned his disciples to eliminate the source of sin in their own lives.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Temptations To Sin (GNT)

Eliminate the cause of sin

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 9:42–48 and Luke 17:1–2.

Paragraph 18:5–6

Some English versions put verse 18:5 in the previous paragraph. But it is best to start a new paragraph here (as in the NCV). It is true that Matthew used the term “child” again. But he changed from talking about the actual child that they were all looking at in 18:4. Here he talked about disciples who are like that child.

18:5a

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name

¶ “Anyone who welcomes a child like this on my behalf
¶ “If a person gives hospitality for my sake to one such humble believer who is like that child,

And whoever: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as whoever is similar to, but slightly different from, the word translated as “whoever” in 18:4a. This phrase is also indefinite and refers to any person.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Anyone who (NJB)

The person who

If someone

welcomes: In this context, the word welcomes refers to giving hospitality to someone. It refers to welcoming a person into one’s house and caring for him by feeding him or helping him as he needs it.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

receives (ESV)

shows/gives hospitality

This word also occurs in 10:40a. You should translate it here as you did there.

a little child like this: The Greek word that the BSB translates as like this refers to something or someone just mentioned. So this phrase means “a child similar to the one I just spoke about.”

There are two ways to interpret the word child in this verse:

It is figurative and refers to any person who is humble like a child. This could be a child or a humble adult.
It is literal and refers to any child just like the child still standing in their midst.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Many commentators follow this interpretation.

Here are some other ways to translate the phrase a little child like this according to interpretation (1):

Translate the phrase literally. For example:
a child like this child If you follow this option, you may want to include a footnote. This is what the NJB had done. Here is a sample footnote:
The words a little child like this are figurative and refer to a humble follower of Jesus. Such a person is like a child.
Include some implied information in the text. For example:
a humble person who is like this child

in My name: This phrase probably modifies the verb “welcomes” (as in the GNT). It indicates that someone welcomes the humble person on behalf of Jesus. He receives him under the authority of Jesus.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

because of me (CEV)

welcomes…on my behalf (NLT)

18:5b

welcomes Me.

welcomes me.
it is the same as giving hospitality to me.

welcomes Me: The verb welcomes is the same verb here as in the first part of this verse. But here it is used in a figurative way. When someone receives/welcomes a believer, he honors Jesus. It is like he receives/welcomes Jesus.

In some languages, it may be necessary to include some of this implied information here. For example:

it is the same as welcoming me

it is like he would be giving me hospitality

honors me

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὃς ἐὰν δέξηται ἓν παιδίον τοιοῦτο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου, ἐμὲ δέχεται

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ὅς ἐάν δέξηται ἕν παιδίον τοιοῦτο ἐπί τῷ ὀνόματι μού ἐμέ δέχεται)

Here Jesus speaks as if people who receive a little child like this were actually receiving him. He means that these people, by receiving the little child, show that they would receive Jesus too. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in simile form or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [whoever receives a little child like this in my name, it is as if he or she received me] or [whoever receives a little child like this in my name proves that he or she would receive me]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἓν παιδίον τοιοῦτο

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ὅς ἐάν δέξηται ἕν παιδίον τοιοῦτο ἐπί τῷ ὀνόματι μού ἐμέ δέχεται)

Here Jesus is again referring to the little child whom he set in their midst (see [18:2](../18/02.md)). You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [a little child like the one standing here] or [a little child, like this one that I summoned,]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ὅς ἐάν δέξηται ἕν παιδίον τοιοῦτο ἐπί τῷ ὀνόματι μού ἐμέ δέχεται)

Here, the phrase in my name could mean that: (1) the person receives a little child because the person follows Jesus. Alternate translation: [because that person is acting as my disciple] (2) the person receives the little child because the little child follows Jesus. Alternate translation: [because the child is my disciple]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear MAT 18:5

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 18:5–9: Do not cause anyone to sin

Paragraph 18:5–6

18:5a

18:5b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)