< Matthew 18 >
1 IN that hour the disciples came near to Jeshu, saying, Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jeshu called a child, and made him stand in the midst of them,
3 and said, Amen I say to you, unless you be converted and become as children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore humbleth himself as this child, he shall be greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whosoever shall receive as like this child in my name, he receiveth me.
6 And every one that shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, to him it had been better that the mill-stone of an ass were hung to his neck, and himself plunged into the depths of the sea.
7 Woe to the world from causes of offence! for it is unavoidable that causes of offence will come;
8 but woe to the man by whom the causes of offence shall come! If, then, thine hand or thy foot shall be a cause of offence to thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is good for thee that thou enter into life lame or mutilated; and not that, having two hands or two feet, thou fall into the fire of eternity. (aiōnios )
9 And if thine eye be a cause of offence to thee, dig it out, and cast it from thee; good (it is) for thee that with one eye thou enter into life; and not that, having two eyes, thou fall into the gihâna of fire. (Geenna )
10 See that you contemn not one of these little ones: for I say unto you that their angels in all time are beholding the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11 For the Son of man is come to save that which had perished.
12 How doth it appear to you? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them shall wander from them, doth he not leave the ninety and nine on the mountain, and, going, seek that which had wandered?
13 And if he shall find it, assuredly I tell you that he rejoiceth in it more than (in) the ninety and nine which wandered not.
14 So it is not good before your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
15 NOW if thy brother offend against thee, go, and argue (the matter) between thyself and him alone; and if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two, that upon the mouth of two or three witnesses may be established every word.
17 And if, also, he will not hear them, tell the church; but if he will neither hear the church, let him be to thee as a publican and as a heathen.
18 And, Amen I say unto you, that whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent on earth concerning every thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
21 Then Kipha came near to him, and said to him, My Lord, how many times, if my brother offend me, shall I forgive him; until seven times?
22 Jeshu said to him, I say not to thee, Until seven, but, Until seventy times seven and seven.
23 THEREFORE is the kingdom of the heavens likened to a royal person who would take the account from his servants.
24 And when he began to receive, they brought to him one who owed a myriad talents.
25 And when he had nothing to pay, his lord commanded that they should sell (both) himself, his wife, and his children, and all that he had, and to pay.
26 And that servant fell and worshipped him, saying, My lord, be patient of spirit toward me, and all things I (will) pay thee.
27 And the lord of that servant had mercy, and absolved him, and forgave him his debt.
28 Then went forth that servant, and found one of his fellows who owed him a hundred pence; and he seized him, strangling, and saying to him, Give me what thou owest to me.
29 His fellow-servant fell at his feet, beseeching him, and saying, Be patient of spirit towards me, and I (will) pay thee.
30 But he would not, but went and threw him into the house of the chained until he should have rendered him what he owed him.
31 When their fellow-servants saw what was done, they were greatly grieved, and went and declared to their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, Evil servant! all that debt did I forgive thee, because thou didst entreat me.
33 Oughtest thou not to have been as gracious to thy fellow-servant as I was gracious unto thee?
34 And his lord was indignant, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should have paid all whatsoever he owed to him.
35 Thus will your heavenly Father deal with you unless you forgive each his brother from your heart his trespasses.
