Mattheüs 18

1 Te dierzelfder ure kwamen de discipelen tot Jezus, zeggende: Wie is toch de meeste in het Koninkrijk der hemelen?

About that time we disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who [among us will be] the most important when God [MTY/EUP] [makes you] king?”

2 En Jezus een kindeken tot Zich geroepen hebbende, stelde dat in het midden van hen;

Jesus called a child to come, and he placed that child in our midst.

3 En zeide: Voorwaar zeg Ik u: Indien gij u niet verandert, en wordt gelijk de kinderkens, zo zult gij in het Koninkrijk der hemelen geenszins ingaan.

He said, “Think about this: If you [(pl)] do not change [the way you(pl) think] and become [as humble] as little children, you [(pl)] will surely not go to the place where God [MTY/EUP] rules.

4 Zo wie dan zichzelven zal vernederen, gelijk dit kindeken, deze is de meeste in het Koninkrijk der hemelen.

The people who become as humble as this child [or any child] is, will be the most important people among those over whom God rules.

5 En zo wie zodanig een kindeken ontvangt in Mijn Naam, die ontvangt Mij.

Also, when those who, [because they love] me, welcome [a] child like this one, [God considers] that they are welcoming me.”

6 Maar zo wie een van deze kleinen, die in Mij geloven, ergert, het ware hem nutter, dat een molensteen aan zijn hals gehangen, en dat hij verzonken ware in de diepte der zee.

“If you cause someone who believes in me to sin, [even if it is someone who is socially unimportant like] this little child, [God will severely punish you]. If a heavy stone were fastened around your neck and you were thrown into the deep waters of the sea, [people would consider that you had been severely punished. But God will punish] you more severely [than that if you cause someone to sin]

7 Wee der wereld van de ergernissen, want het is noodzakelijk, dat de ergernissen komen; doch wee dien mens, door welken de ergernis komt!

It will be terrible for those [MTY] who cause others to stop believing in me. [God will punish them eternally]. It is inevitable that there will be [those who] cause others to stop believing in me. But it will be horrible for everyone who does that.

8 Indien dan uw hand of uw voet u ergert, houwt ze af en werpt ze van u. Het is u beter, tot het leven in te gaan, kreupel of verminkt zijnde, dan twee handen of twee voeten hebbende, in het eeuwige vuur geworpen te worden. (aiōnios g166)

So, if you [are wanting to use] one of your hands or feet to sin, [stop using that hand or foot! Even if you have to] cut it off [to avoid sinning, do it] [MET]! It is good [that you not sin and] go where you will live [with God eternally, even though while you are still here on earth] you are maimed or lame and do not have a hand or a foot. But it is not good that you continue to have your two hands and two feet [and do] [MTY] [the sinful things you want to, and as a result], you are thrown into [hell], where there is eternal fire burning. (aiōnios g166, questioned)

9 En indien uw oog u ergert, trekt het uit, en werpt het van u. Het is u beter, maar een oog hebbende, tot het leven in te gaan, dan twee ogen hebbende, in het helse vuur geworpen te worden. (Geenna g1067)

If what you see you [makes you want] to sin, [stop looking at those things! Even if you have to] gouge out one of your eyes and throw it away [to avoid sinning, do it] [HYP]! It is good [that you not sin and] go where you will live [with God eternally, even though while you are still here on earth] you have only one eye. But it is not good that you continue to have your two eyes [and do the sinful things you want to, and as a result], you are thrown {God throws you} into hell where there is eternal fire burning.” (Geenna g1067)

10 Ziet toe, dat gij niet een van deze kleinen veracht. Want Ik zeg ulieden, dat hun engelen, in de hemelen, altijd zien het aangezicht Mijns Vaders, Die in de hemelen is.

“Make an effort that you [(pl)] do not despise [even] one of these children. I tell you [(pl)] truly that [since] the angels [live] in heaven [in the presence of] my Father, [they will report to him if you mistreat the children].

11 Want de Zoon des mensen is gekomen om zalig te maken, dat verloren was.

12 Wat dunkt u, indien enig mens honderd schapen had, en een uit dezelve afgedwaald ware, zal hij niet de negen en negentig laten, en op de bergen heengaande, het afgedwaalde zoeken?

What do you [(pl)] think [you would do in the following situation]? If you had 100 sheep and one of them got lost, you would surely leave the 99 sheep [that are] on the hill and go and search for the lost one [RHQ], would you not?

13 En indien het geschiedt, dat hij hetzelve vindt, voorwaar zeg Ik u, dat hij zich meer verblijdt over hetzelve, dan over de negen en negentig, die niet afgedwaald zijn geweest.

If you found it, I affirm to you [(pl)] that you would rejoice very much. You would be happy that 99 sheep did not stray away, but you would rejoice even more [because you had found] the sheep that had strayed away.

14 Alzo is de wil niet uws Vaders, Die in de hemelen is, dat een van deze kleinen verloren ga.

In the same way [that shepherds do not want one of] their [sheep to stray away], so [God], your Father in heaven, does not want [even] one of these children to go to hell.” (questioned)

15 Maar indien uw broeder tegen u gezondigd heeft, ga heen en bestraf hem tussen u en hem alleen; indien hij u hoort, zo hebt gij uw broeder gewonnen.

“If a fellow believer sins [against you], go [to him], and when you two are alone, reprove him [for sinning against you]. If that person listens to you [and feels sorry that he has sinned against you], you will have restored [your friendship with] that person.

16 Maar indien hij u niet hoort, zo neem nog een of twee met u; opdat in den mond van twee of drie getuigen alle woord besta.

If that person will not listen to you [nor feel sorry that he has sinned against you], go get one or two other people [who will listen to what you both have to say]. Have them go with you so that [what is written] {[Moses wrote]} [in the Scriptures might happen: ] ‘[When one person accuses another in some matter], it should be confirmed by [at least] two or three people {[at least] two or three people should confirm it} [before that person can be declared] guilty {[before they declare that person guilty]}.’

17 En indien hij denzelven geen gehoor geeft; zo zeg het der gemeente; en indien hij ook der gemeente geen gehoor geeft, zo zij hij u als de heiden en de tollenaar.

If the one who has sinned against you will not listen to them [or does not feel sorry that he has sinned against you], tell that to the congregation [so that they can rebuke him]. If that person will not listen to the congregation [or feel sorry that he has sinned against you, exclude him from being a member of your congregation, just like] you [would exclude] pagans, tax collectors, [and others who do not believe in God and sin greatly].

18 Voorwaar zeg Ik u: Al wat gij op de aarde binden zult, zal in den hemel gebonden wezen; en al wat gij op de aarde ontbinden zult, zal in den hemel ontbonden wezen.

Keep this in mind: Whatever you decide on earth [about punishing] or [not punishing a member of your congregation] is what has also been decided by [God] in heaven {what [God] in heaven has also decided}.

19 Wederom zeg Ik u: Indien er twee van u samenstemmen op de aarde, over enige zaak, die zij zouden mogen begeren, dat die hun zal geschieden van Mijn Vader, Die in de hemelen is.

Also note this: If [at least] two of you [who live] here on earth agree together about something you ask [God] for [DOU], [God], my Father [who is] in heaven, will give you what you ask for.

20 Want waar twee of drie vergaderd zijn in Mijn Naam, daar ben Ik in het midden van hen.

[This is true], because wherever [at least] two or three of you assemble because you believe in me [MTY], I am [spiritually] present with you. I [will hear what you ask for and I will ask God to do it for you].”

21 Toen kwam Petrus tot Hem, en zeide: Heere! hoe menigmaal zal mijn broeder tegen mij zondigen, en ik hem vergeven! Tot zevenmaal?

Then Peter approached [Jesus] and said to him, “How many times must I forgive a fellow believer who [keeps on] sinning against me? [If he keeps asking me to forgive him, must I forgive him] as many as seven times?”

22 Jezus zeide tot hem: Ik zeg u, niet tot zevenmaal, maar tot zeventigmaal zeven maal.

Jesus said to him, “I tell you [that the number of] times [you must forgive someone is] not just up to seven, but [you must] ([forgive him] 77 times/never stop forgiving him).

23 Daarom wordt het Koninkrijk der hemelen vergeleken bij een zeker koning, die rekening met zijn dienstknechten houden wilde.

[In order to illustrate] why [you should do this], I [will tell you a story in which] God [MTY/EUP], [who cares for] the people whose lives he rules over, is compared {I compare God, [who cares for] the people whose lives he rules over} to a king [and his officials]. That king told [some of his servants that he wanted] his officials to pay what they owed him.

24 Als hij nu begon te rekenen, werd tot hem gebracht een, die hem schuldig was tien duizend talenten.

[So those officials were brought to the king to] settle [their accounts with him]. [One of the officials who were brought] owed the king several million dollars.

25 En als hij niet had, om te betalen, beval zijn heer, dat men hem zou verkopen, en zijn vrouw en kinderen, en al wat hij had, en dat de schuld zou betaald worden.

But because he did not have [enough money] to pay [what he owed], the king demanded that he, his wife, his children and all he possessed be sold [to someone else, and that the king] be repaid [with] {receive} [the money that was paid for them].

26 De dienstknecht dan, nedervallende, aanbad hem, zeggende: Heer! wees lankmoedig over mij, en ik zal u alles betalen.

Then that official, [knowing that he did not have the money to pay that huge debt], fell on his knees [in front of the king] and begged him saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you all of it, [eventually].’

27 En de heer van dezen dienstknecht, met barmhartigheid innerlijk bewogen zijnde, heeft hem ontslagen, en de schuld hem kwijtgescholden.

The king, [knowing that the official could never pay all that huge debt], felt sorry for him. So he canceled his debt and released him.

28 Maar dezelve dienstknecht, uitgaande, heeft gevonden een zijner mededienstknechten, die hem honderd penningen schuldig was, en hem aanvattende, greep hem bij de keel, zeggende: Betaal mij, wat gij schuldig zijt.

Then this official went to another one of the king’s officials who owed him a bit less than a year’s wages. He grabbed him [by the throat], started choking him, and said to him, ‘Pay back what you owe [me]!’

29 Zijn mededienstknecht dan, nedervallende aan zijn voeten, bad hem, zeggende: Wees lankmoedig over mij, en ik zal u alles betalen.

That official fell on his knees and begged him saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you all of it, [eventually].’

30 Doch hij wilde niet, maar ging heen, en wierp hem in de gevangenis, totdat hij de schuld zou betaald hebben.

But this official kept refusing [to cancel that small debt that the man owed him]. Instead, he [caused that official to be] put in prison [and to stay there] until he could pay back all the money that he owed him.

31 Als nu zijn mededienstknechten zagen, hetgeen geschied was, zijn zij zeer bedroefd geworden; en komende, verklaarden zij hunnen heer al wat er geschied was.

When the other officials [of the king] learned that this had happened, they felt very distressed. So they went to the king and reported in detail what had happened.

32 Toen heeft hem zijn heer tot zich geroepen, en zeide tot hem: Gij boze dienstknecht, al die schuld heb ik u kwijtgescholden, dewijl gij mij gebeden hebt;

Then the king summoned the official [who had owed him several million dollars]. He said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I canceled that huge debt [that you owed me] because you begged me [to do so]

33 Behoordet gij ook niet u over uw mededienstknecht te ontfermen, gelijk ik ook mij over u ontfermd heb?

You should have been merciful [and canceled your fellow official’s debt], just like I was merciful to you [and canceled your debt] [RHQ]!’

34 En zijn heer, vertoornd zijnde, leverde hem den pijnigers over, totdat hij zou betaald hebben al wat hij hem schuldig was.

The king was very angry. He handed this official over to some jailers who would torture him severely until he paid all of the debt that he owed.”

35 Alzo zal ook Mijn hemelse Vader u doen, indien gij niet van harte vergeeft een iegelijk zijn broeder zijn misdaden.

[Then Jesus continued by saying], “That is what my Father in heaven will do to you if you do not [feel merciful and] sincerely forgive a fellow believer [who sins against you].”