37 “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me.”
38 John said, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn't one of us, and we told him to stop.”
39 Jesus said to his disciples:Don't stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me.
40 Anyone who isn't against us is for us.
41 And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded.
42 It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin. Those people would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks.
43-44 So if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! You would be better off to go into life paralyzed than to have two hands and be thrown into the fires of hell that never go out.