Matthew 18

1 In that hour, the disciples drew near to Jesus, saying, “Whom do you consider to be greater in the kingdom of heaven?”

Just then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who ranks higher than others in the Kingdom of the Heavens?"

2 And Jesus, calling to himself a little child, placed him in their midst.

So He called a young child to Him, and, bidding him stand in the midst of them,

3 And he said: “Amen I say to you, unless you change and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no case be admitted into the Kingdom of the Heavens.

4 Therefore, whoever will have humbled himself like this little child, such a one is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this young child, he it is who is superior to others in the Kingdom of the Heavens.

5 And whoever shall accept one such little child in my name, accepts me.

And whoever for my sake receives one young child such as this, receives me.

6 But whoever will have led astray one of these little ones, who trust in me, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck, and to be submerged in the depths of the sea.

But whoever shall occasion the fall of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 Woe to a world that leads people astray! Although it is necessary for temptations to arise, nevertheless: Woe to that man through whom temptation arises!

"Alas for the world because of causes of falling! They cannot but come, but alas for each man through whom they come!

8 So if your hand or your foot leads you to sin, cut it off and cast it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life disabled or lame, than to be sent into eternal fire having two hands or two feet. (aiōnios g166)

If your hand or your foot is causing you to fall into sin, cut it off and away with it. It is better for you to enter into Life crippled in hand or foot than to remain in possession of two sound hands or feet but be thrown into the fire of the Ages. (aiōnios g166)

9 And if your eye leads you to sin, root it out and cast it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than to be sent into the fires of Hell having two eyes. (Geenna g1067)

And if your eye is causing you to fall into sin, tear it out and away with it; it is better for you to enter into Life with only one eye, than to remain in possession of two eyes but be thrown into the Gehenna of fire. (Geenna g1067)

10 See to it that you do not despise even one of these little ones. For I say to you, that their Angels in heaven continually look upon the face of my Father, who is in heaven.

"Beware of ever despising one of these little ones, for I tell you that in Heaven their angels have continual access to my Father who is in Heaven.

11 For the Son of man has come to save what had been lost.

12 How does it seem to you? If someone has one hundred sheep, and if one of them has gone astray, should he not leave behind the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go out to seek what has gone astray?

What do you yourselves think? Suppose a man gets a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is straying?

13 And if he should happen to find it: Amen I say to you, that he has more joy over that one, than over the ninety-nine which did not go astray.

And if he succeeds in finding it, in solemn truth I tell you that he rejoices over it more than he does over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.

14 Even so, it is not the will before your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should be lost.

Just so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

15 But if your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have regained your brother.

"If your brother acts wrongly towards you, go and point out his fault to him when only you and he are there. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

16 But if he will not listen you, invite with you one or two more, so that every word may stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses.

But if he will not listen to you, go again, and ask one or two to go with you, that every word spoken may be attested by two or three witnesses.

17 And if he will not listen to them, tell the Church. But if he will not listen to the Church, let him be to you like the pagan and the tax collector.

If he refuses to hear them, appeal to the Church; and if he refuses to hear even the Church, regard him just as you regard a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.

18 Amen I say to you, whatever you will have bound on earth, shall be bound also in heaven, and whatever you will have released on earth, shall be released also in heaven.

I solemnly tell you that whatever you as a Church bind on earth will in Heaven be held as bound, and whatever you loose on earth will in Heaven be held to be loosed.

19 Again I say to you, that if two of those among you have agreed on earth, about anything whatsoever that they have requested, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in heaven.

I also solemnly tell you that if two of you here on earth agree together concerning anything whatever that they shall ask, the boon will come to them from my Father who is in Heaven.

20 For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I, in their midst.”

For where there are two or three assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

21 Then Peter, drawing near to him, said: “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Even seven times?”

At this point Peter came to Him with the question, "Master, how often shall my brother act wrongly towards me and I forgive him? seven times?"

22 Jesus said to him: “I do not say to you, even seven times, but even seventy times seven times.

"I do not say seven times," answered Jesus, "but seventy times seven times.

23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who was king, who wanted to take account of his servants.

"For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens may be compared to a king who determined to have a settlement of accounts with his servants.

24 And when he had begun taking account, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

But as soon as he began the settlement, one was brought before him who owed 10,000 talents,

25 But since he did not have any way to repay it, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, in order to repay it.

and was unable to pay. So his master ordered that he and his wife and children and everything that he had should be sold, and payment be made.

26 But that servant, falling prostrate, begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.’

The servant therefore falling down, prostrated himself at his feet and entreated him. "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you the whole.'

27 Then the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, released him, and he forgave his debt.

"Whereupon his master, touched with compassion, set him free and forgave him the debt.

28 But when that servant departed, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarius. And taking hold of him, he choked him, saying: ‘Repay what you owe.’

But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed, "'Pay me all you owe.'

29 And his fellow servant, falling prostrate, petitioned him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.’

"His fellow servant therefore fell at his feet and entreated him, "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you.'

30 But he was not willing. Instead, he went out and had him sent to prison, until he would repay the debt.

"He would not, however, but went and threw him into prison until he should pay what was due.

31 Now his fellow servants, seeing what was done, were greatly saddened, and they went and reported to their lord all that was done.

His fellow servants, therefore, seeing what had happened, were exceedingly angry; and they came and told their master without reserve all that had happened.

32 Then his lord called him, and he said to him: ‘You wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt, because you pleaded with me.

At once his master called him and said, "'Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:

33 Therefore, should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I also had compassion on you?’

ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'

34 And his lord, being angry, handed him over to the torturers, until he repaid the entire debt.

"So his master, greatly incensed, handed him over to the jailers until he should pay all he owed him.

35 So, too, shall my heavenly Father do to you, if each one of you will not forgive his brother from your hearts.”

"In the same way my Heavenly Father will deal with you, if you do not all of you forgive one another from your hearts."