Matthew 18

1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

In that hour, the disciples drew near to Jesus, saying, “Whom do you consider to be greater in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them

And Jesus, calling to himself a little child, placed him in their midst.

3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

And he said: “Amen I say to you, unless you change and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore, whoever will have humbled himself like this little child, such a one is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

And whoever shall accept one such little child in my name, accepts me.

6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.

But whoever will have led astray one of these little ones, who trust in me, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck, and to be submerged in the depths of the sea.

7 “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!

Woe to a world that leads people astray! Although it is necessary for temptations to arise, nevertheless: Woe to that man through whom temptation arises!

8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. (aiōnios g166)

So if your hand or your foot leads you to sin, cut it off and cast it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life disabled or lame, than to be sent into eternal fire having two hands or two feet. (aiōnios g166)

9 If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire. (Geenna g1067)

And if your eye leads you to sin, root it out and cast it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than to be sent into the fires of Hell having two eyes. (Geenna g1067)

10 See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

See to it that you do not despise even one of these little ones. For I say to you, that their Angels in heaven continually look upon the face of my Father, who is in heaven.

11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.

For the Son of man has come to save what had been lost.

12 “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?

How does it seem to you? If someone has one hundred sheep, and if one of them has gone astray, should he not leave behind the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go out to seek what has gone astray?

13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.

And if he should happen to find it: Amen I say to you, that he has more joy over that one, than over the ninety-nine which did not go astray.

14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Even so, it is not the will before your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should be lost.

15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.

But if your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have regained your brother.

16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

But if he will not listen you, invite with you one or two more, so that every word may stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses.

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.

And if he will not listen to them, tell the Church. But if he will not listen to the Church, let him be to you like the pagan and the tax collector.

18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.

Amen I say to you, whatever you will have bound on earth, shall be bound also in heaven, and whatever you will have released on earth, shall be released also in heaven.

19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

Again I say to you, that if two of those among you have agreed on earth, about anything whatsoever that they have requested, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I, in their midst.”

21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”

Then Peter, drawing near to him, said: “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Even seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.

Jesus said to him: “I do not say to you, even seven times, but even seventy times seven times.

23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who was king, who wanted to take account of his servants.

24 When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

And when he had begun taking account, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

But since he did not have any way to repay it, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, in order to repay it.

26 The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’

But that servant, falling prostrate, begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.’

27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.

Then the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, released him, and he forgave his debt.

28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

But when that servant departed, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarius. And taking hold of him, he choked him, saying: ‘Repay what you owe.’

29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’

And his fellow servant, falling prostrate, petitioned him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.’

30 He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due.

But he was not willing. Instead, he went out and had him sent to prison, until he would repay the debt.

31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.

Now his fellow servants, seeing what was done, were greatly saddened, and they went and reported to their lord all that was done.

32 Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.

Then his lord called him, and he said to him: ‘You wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt, because you pleaded with me.

33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’

Therefore, should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I also had compassion on you?’

34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him.

And his lord, being angry, handed him over to the torturers, until he repaid the entire debt.

35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”

So, too, shall my heavenly Father do to you, if each one of you will not forgive his brother from your hearts.”