Matthew 18
1 Around that time the disciples came to Jesus, and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
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 Jesus called over a small child. He had the child stand in front of them.
Jesus called a child to come, and he placed that child in our midst.
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.
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 “But whoever humbles themselves and becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
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 Whoever accepts a little child like this in my name accepts me.
Also, when those who, [because they love] me, welcome [a] child like this one, [God considers] that they are welcoming 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.
“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 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!
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 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)
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 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)
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 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.
“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].
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 [(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 And if he finds it, I tell you he really rejoices over that sheep more than the ninety-nine that didn't get lost.
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 In the same way my heavenly Father does not want any of these little ones to be lost.
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 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.
“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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 For where two or three gather together in my name, I'm there with them.”
[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 Peter came to Jesus and asked him, “How many times should I forgive my brother for sinning against me? Seven times?”
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 “No, not seven times. I would say seventy times seven!” Jesus told him.
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 “This is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with those servants who owed him money.
[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 As he began to settle accounts, one servant was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
[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 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 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 The servant fell down on his knees and said to his master, ‘Please be patient with me! I will pay everything back!’
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 The master took pity on the servant, released him, and canceled the debt.
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 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!’
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 His fellow-servant threw himself down at the man's feet and begged him, ‘Please be patient with me! I will pay you back!’
That official fell on his knees and begged him saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you all of it, [eventually].’
30 But the man refused, and went and threw his fellow-servant into prison until he paid back what he owed.
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 When the other servants saw what took place they were shocked and upset. They went and told their master everything that had happened.
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 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 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 Shouldn't you have been merciful to your fellow-servant as well, just as I was merciful to you?’
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 His master became angry and handed him over to the jailors until he had repaid all the debt.
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 This is what my heavenly Father will do to every one of you unless you sincerely forgive your brothers.”
[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].”
