Matthew 18
1 Around that time the disciples came to Jesus, and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
At that time the disciples approached Jesus saying, “Who then is greater in the kingdom of the heavens?”
2 Jesus called over a small child. He had the child stand in front of them.
So Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
3 “I tell you the truth, unless you change the way you think and become like little children, you won't ever enter the kingdom of heaven,” he told them.
and said: “Assuredly I say to you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of the heavens.
4 “But whoever humbles themselves and becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore whoever will humble himself like this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of the heavens.
5 Whoever accepts a little child like this in my name accepts me.
“Whoever receives one little child like this in my name, receives me;
6 But anyone who makes one of these little ones who trust in me sin, it would be better for them to have a large millstone tied around their neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
but whoever should cause one of these little ones who believe into me to fall, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung on his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea!
7 What a disaster is coming on the world for all its temptations to sin! Temptations will surely come, but it will be a disaster for the person through whom the temptation comes!
Woe to the world because of offenses! Now it is necessary that offenses come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes!
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It's better for you to enter eternal life crippled or lame rather than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into eternal fire. (aiōnios g166)
“If your hand or your foot is causing you to fall, cut them off and throw them away! It is better for you to enter into the life lame or maimed than to be thrown into the everlasting fire, having two hands or two feet. (aiōnios g166)
9 If your eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away. It's better for you to enter eternal life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the fire of judgment. (Geenna g1067)
And if your eye is causing you to fall, tear it out and throw it away! It is better for you to enter into the life one eyed than to be thrown into the fiery Hell, having two eyes. (Geenna g1067)
10 Make sure you don't look down on these little ones. I tell you that in heaven their angels are always with my heavenly Father.
“See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father, who is in the heavens.
For the Son of the Man came to save the lost.
12 What do you think about this? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, won't he leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that's lost?
What do you think? If some man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains to go and search for the stray?
13 And if he finds it, I tell you he really rejoices over that sheep more than the ninety-nine that didn't get lost.
And if he happens to find it, assuredly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
14 In the same way my heavenly Father does not want any of these little ones to be lost.
Likewise it is not a desire, in the view of your Father in heaven, that one of these little ones should be wasted.
15 If a brother sins against you, go and point out the wrong to him, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you've won your brother over.
“Now if your brother sins against you, go, confront him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have won your brother.
16 But if he doesn't listen, then take one or two more people with you, so that by two or three witnesses the truth can be confirmed.
But should he not hear, take along with you one or two more, so that every word may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses.
17 If, however, he refuses to listen to them, then tell the church. If he refuses to listen to the church as well, then treat him as a foreigner and a tax-collector.
And should he refuse to hear them, tell it to the congregation. But should he refuse to hear even the congregation, let him be to you just like the heathen and the tax collector.
18 I tell you the truth, whatever you ban on earth will be banned in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth will be allowed in heaven.
“Assuredly I say to you, whatever (pl.) you (pl.) may bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you may loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.
19 I also tell you that if two of you agree here on earth about something you're praying for, then my heavenly Father will do it for you.
Assuredly again, I say to you that if two of you should agree on earth about any subject whatever that they may ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
20 For where two or three gather together in my name, I'm there with them.”
Because where there are two or three gathered together into my name, there I am in their midst!”
21 Peter came to Jesus and asked him, “How many times should I forgive my brother for sinning against me? Seven times?”
Then Peter approached Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him; up to seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times. I would say seventy times seven!” Jesus told him.
Jesus says to him: “Not, I tell you, up to seven, but up to seventy-seven times!
23 “This is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with those servants who owed him money.
“Therefore the kingdom of the heavens is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 As he began to settle accounts, one servant was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
And as he began to settle up, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him.
25 Since he didn't have the money to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all his possessions, so that the debt could be paid back.
But since he had nothing with which to repay, his lord commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and everything he had, so as to be repaid.
26 The servant fell down on his knees and said to his master, ‘Please be patient with me! I will pay everything back!’
So then the servant fell down and did obeisance to him saying, ‘Lord, be patient with me and I will repay you all.’
27 The master took pity on the servant, released him, and canceled the debt.
So the lord of that servant, having compassion, released him and forgave him the loan.
28 But when that same servant went out he found one of his fellow-servants who owed him just a hundred denarii. He grabbed him by the neck and choked him, saying, ‘Pay me back what you owe me!’
“But when that servant went out he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and grabbing him he started choking him saying, ‘Pay me back what you owe!’
29 His fellow-servant threw himself down at the man's feet and begged him, ‘Please be patient with me! I will pay you back!’
So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and kept begging him saying, ‘Be patient with me and I will pay you back.’
30 But the man refused, and went and threw his fellow-servant into prison until he paid back what he owed.
But he would not; instead he went and threw him into prison until he should pay back what was owed.
31 When the other servants saw what took place they were shocked and upset. They went and told their master everything that had happened.
But when his fellow servants saw what had happened they were really grieved, and they went and reported to their lord everything that had happened.
32 Then the master called the man back in and told him, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you all your debt because you begged me to.
Then summoning him the lord says to him: ‘Malignant servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 Shouldn't you have been merciful to your fellow-servant as well, just as I was merciful to you?’
Were you also not obligated to have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’
34 His master became angry and handed him over to the jailors until he had repaid all the debt.
So in anger the lord handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed to him.
35 This is what my heavenly Father will do to every one of you unless you sincerely forgive your brothers.”
“My heavenly Father will handle you just like that, if each of you does not forgive his brother his trespasses, from the heart.”
