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 came the disciples to Jesus, saying, Who is to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 Jesus called over a small child. He had the child stand in front of them.
And Jesus calling to Him a little child, set it 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, Verily I declare unto you, unless ye be converted, and become like little children, ye shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 “But whoever humbles themselves and becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he shall be greatest in the kingdom of heaven:
5 Whoever accepts a little child like this in my name accepts me.
and whoever shall receive one such little child for my sake, receiveth 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 whosoever shall lay a stumbling-block in the way of one of these little ones, who believe in me, it were better for him that a milstone were hung on his neck, and that he were thrown into 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!
Wo will be to the world from such offenses; for it is of necessity that offenses come: but wo to that man by whom the offense cometh.
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 then thy hand or thy foot cause thee to offend, cut them off and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire: (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 thine eye cause thee to offend, pluck it out and cast it from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life with but one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell-fire. (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 that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I tell you, that their angels in heaven do continually appear in the presence of my father, who is in heaven:
for the Son of man came from thence to save that which was 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 think ye? if any man had an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray, would he not leave the ninety and nine, and go upon the hills, and seek that which is gone astray?
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 find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more on account of that, than of the ninety nine which went not astray.
14 In the same way my heavenly Father does not want any of these little ones to be lost.
Even so it is not the will of your heavenly Father, that any one of these little ones should be lost.
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.
And if thy brother trespass against thee, go and expostulate with him alone; if he hearken to thee, thou hast gained thy 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 if he regard thee not, take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
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 if he disregard them, tell it to the church: but if he disregard the church too, let him be unto thee as an heathen and a publican.
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.
Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be 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.
And I tell you moreover, that if but two of you shall agree on earth concerning any thing which they would ask for, it shall be granted them by my Father who is in heaven:
20 For where two or three gather together in my name, I'm there with them.”
for where two or three are assembled together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
21 Peter came to Jesus and asked him, “How many times should I forgive my brother for sinning against me? Seven times?”
Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? to seven times?
22 “No, not seven times. I would say seventy times seven!” Jesus told him.
Jesus answereth him, I tell thee not, to seven times, but to seventy times seven.
23 “This is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with those servants who owed him money.
And therefore the gospel-kingdom is like unto a king, who had a mind 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 when he began to reckon, there was brought to him one, who was debtor in ten thousand talents:
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.
and not having it to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had; and payment to be made.
26 The servant fell down on his knees and said to his master, ‘Please be patient with me! I will pay everything back!’
The servant therefore fell prostrate before him, saying, Lord, bear with me a while, and I will pay thee all:
27 The master took pity on the servant, released him, and canceled the debt.
and his lord had compassion on him, and discharged him, and forgave him the debt.
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 that same servant, as he was going out, met with one of his fellow-servants, who owed him but an hundred pence; and he laid hold on him and seized him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest 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!’
and his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and intreated him, saying, Bear with me a while, and I will pay thee all.
30 But the man refused, and went and threw his fellow-servant into prison until he paid back what he owed.
And he would not: but went away and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31 When the other servants saw what took place they were shocked and upset. They went and told their master everything that had happened.
Now when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very much grieved, and came and acquainted their lord with all that had passed.
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 his lord called for him again, and said to him, Thou wicked slave, I forgave thee all that vast debt at thy request,
33 Shouldn't you have been merciful to your fellow-servant as well, just as I was merciful to you?’
and oughtest not thou to have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had on thee?
34 His master became angry and handed him over to the jailors until he had repaid all the debt.
And his lord being highly provoked delivered him to the officers, till he should pay all that was owing to him.
35 This is what my heavenly Father will do to every one of you unless you sincerely forgive your brothers.”
Thus will my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts their trespasses.
