Matthew 18
1 At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the 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 unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them,
So He called a young child to Him, and, bidding him stand in the midst of them,
3 And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as 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 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the 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 he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
And whoever for my sake receives one young child such as this, receives me.
6 But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth 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 the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.
"Alas for the world because of causes of falling! They cannot but come, but alas for each man through whom they come!
8 And if thy hand, or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. (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 thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. (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 that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see 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 is come to save that which was lost.
12 What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go to seek that which is 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 it so be that he find it: Amen I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that, than for the ninety-nine that went not 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 of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Just so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
15 But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy 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 And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.
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 hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.
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, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed 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 you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to 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 where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
For where there are two or three assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
21 Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till 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 saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.
"I do not say seven times," answered Jesus, "but seventy times seven times.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an 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 to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents.
But as soon as he began the settlement, one was brought before him who owed 10,000 talents,
25 And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
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 down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
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 And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt.
"Whereupon his master, touched with compassion, set him free and forgave him the debt.
28 But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest.
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 down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
"His fellow servant therefore fell at his feet and entreated him, "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you.'
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid 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 very much grieved, and they came and told 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 said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me:
At once his master called him and said, "'Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:
33 Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee?
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, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt.
"So his master, greatly incensed, handed him over to the jailers until he should pay all he owed him.
35 So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one 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."
