Matthew 18
1 In that hour came, the disciples unto Jesus, saying—Who then is, greatest, in the kingdom of the heavens?
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 And, calling near a child, he set it in the midst of them,
Jesus called a child to come, and he placed that child in our midst.
3 and said—Verily, I say unto you, Except ye turn and become as the children, in nowise, shall ye enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
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 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this child, the same, is the greatest, in the kingdom of the heavens;
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 And, whosoever shall give welcome unto one such child as this, upon my name, unto me, giveth welcome.
Also, when those who, [because they love] me, welcome [a] child like this one, [God considers] that they are welcoming me.”
6 And, whosoever shall cause to stumble one of these little ones who believe in me, it profiteth him, that there be hung a large mill-stone about his neck, and he be sunk in the wide main 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 Alas for the world! by reason of the causes of stumbling; for it is, necessary, that the causes of stumbling come, —nevertheless, alas for the man through whom the cause of stumbling cometh!
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 But, if, thy hand or thy foot, be causing thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: It is, seemly for thee, to enter into life, maimed or lame, rather than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the age-abiding 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 And, if, thine eye, causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: It is, seemly, for thee, one-eyed, into life, to enter, rather than, having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery gehenna. (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 Beware! do not despise one of these little ones; For I say unto you—that, their messengers in the heavens, do, continually, behold the face of my Father in the heavens.
“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 How, to you, doth it seem? If a certain man come to have a hundred sheep and one from among them go astray, Will he not leave the ninety-nine upon the mountains, and going, seek the straying one?
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 it should be that he find it, Verily, I say unto you—He rejoiceth over it, more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.
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 Thus, there is no desire, in the presence of my Father who is in the heavens, that, one of these little ones, should 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 But, if thy brother sin, withdraw, convince him, betwixt thee and him, alone, —If unto thee he hearken, thou hast gained thy brother;
“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 do not hearken, take with thee, yet one or two, that, at the mouth of two witnesses or three, every declaration, maybe established;
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 But, if he hear them amiss, tell it to the assembly, —And, if, even the assembly, he hear amiss, Let him be unto thee, just as the man of the nations and the 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 Verily, I say unto you—Whatsoever things ye shall bind on the earth, shall be bound in heaven; and, whatsoever things ye shall loose on the earth, shall be loosed 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 Again, [verily] I say unto you—If two from among you shall agree upon the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be brought to pass for them, from my Father who is in the heavens;
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 there are two or three, gathered together into my name, there, am I, in their midst.
[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 Then, coming near, Peter said [to him]—Lord! how many times, shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until, 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 Jesus saith to him—I say not unto thee, unto, seven, times, but, until seventy times seven.
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 For this cause, hath the kingdom of the heavens become like unto a man, a king, who wished to settle an account with his servants;
[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 And, when he, began, to settle, there was brought unto him a, certain, debtor, of a 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 and, he, not having, wherewith to pay, the master ordered him to be sold, and the wife, and the children, and whatsoever he had, —and payment to be made.
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 therefore, falling down, began to do homage unto him, saying—Have patience with me, and, all, will I pay thee.
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 And, moved with compassion, the master of that servant released him, and, the loan, he, forgave, him.
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 that servant, going out, found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him, a hundred denaries, and, laying hold of him, he began seizing him by the throat, saying, Pay! if anything thou owest.
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, therefore, falling down, began beseeching him, saying, Have patience with me! And I will pay thee.
That official fell on his knees and begged him saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you all of it, [eventually].’
30 He, however, would not, but went away and cast him into prison, —until he should pay what was owing.
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 His fellow-servants, therefore, seeing, the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, —and went and made quite plain to their master all the things which had been done.
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, calling him near, his master saith unto him—O wicked servant! All that debt, forgave I thee, because thou didst beseech me.
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 Was it not binding, upon thee also, to have mercy upon thy fellow-servant, as, I also, on thee, had mercy?
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 And, provoked to anger, his master delivered him up to the torturers, until he should pay all that was owing.
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 Thus, my heavenly Father also, will do unto you, if ye forgive not each one his brother, from your hearts.
[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].”
