Matthew 18

1 At that hour came the disciples near to Jesus, saying, 'Who, now, is greater in the reign of the heavens?'

In that same time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 And Jesus having called near a child, did set him in the midst of them,

Jesus called to himself a little child, set him among them,

3 and said, 'Verily I say to you, if ye may not be turned and become as the children, ye may not enter into the reign of the heavens;

and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no way enter the kingdom of heaven.

4 whoever then may humble himself as this child, he is the greater in the reign of the heavens.

Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 'And he who may receive one such child in my name, doth receive me,

Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name receives me.

6 and whoever may cause to stumble one of those little ones who are believing in me, it is better for him that a weighty millstone may be hanged upon his neck, and he may be sunk in the depth of the sea.

But whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to sin, it would be better for him that a great millstone should be hung about his neck, and that he should be sunk into the depths of the sea.

7 'Woe to the world from the stumbling-blocks! for there is a necessity for the stumbling-blocks to come, but woe to that man through whom the stumbling-block doth come!

Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! For it is necessary that those stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom those stumbling blocks come!

8 'And if thy hand or thy foot doth cause thee to stumble, cut them off and cast from thee; it is good for thee to enter into the life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast to the fire the age-during. (aiōnios g166)

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

9 'And if thine eye doth cause thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast from thee; it is good for thee one-eyed to enter into the life, rather than having two eyes to be cast to the gehenna of the fire. (Geenna g1067)

If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to be thrown into the eternal fire having both eyes. (Geenna g1067)

10 'Beware! — ye may not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their messengers in the heavens do always behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens,

See that you do not despise any of these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven their angels always look on the face of my Father who is in heaven.

11 for the Son of Man did come to save the lost.

12 'What think ye? if a man may have an hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, doth he not — having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains — seek that which is gone astray?

What do you think? If anyone has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go off seeking the one that went astray?

13 and if it may come to pass that he doth find it, verily I say to you, that he doth rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray;

If he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14 so it is not will in presence of your Father who is in the heavens, that one of these little ones may perish.

In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

15 'And if thy brother may sin against thee, go and show him his fault between thee and him alone, if he may hear thee, thou didst gain thy brother;

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have gained your brother.

16 and if he may not hear, take with thee yet one or two, that by the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may stand.

But if he does not listen to you, take one or two others along with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word might be verified.

17 'And if he may not hear them, say [it] to the assembly, and if also the assembly he may not hear, let him be to thee as the heathen man and the tax-gatherer.

And if he refuses to listen to them, tell the matter to the church. If he also refuses to listen to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

18 'Verily I say to you, Whatever things ye may bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever things ye may loose on the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.

Truly I say to you, whatever things you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will be released in heaven.

19 'Again, I say to you, that, if two of you may agree on the earth concerning anything, whatever they may ask — it shall be done to them from my Father who is in the heavens,

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

20 for where there are two or three gathered together — to my name, there am I in the midst of them.'

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

21 Then Peter having come near to him, said, 'Sir, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him — till seven times?'

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

22 Jesus saith to him, 'I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven.

Jesus said to him, “I do not tell you seven times, but until seventy times seven.

23 'Because of this was the reign of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who did will to take reckoning with his servants,

Therefore the kingdom of heaven is similar to a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24 and he having begun to take account, there was brought near to him one debtor of a myriad of talents,

As he began the settling, one servant was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

25 and he having nothing to pay, his lord did command him to be sold, and his wife, and the children, and all, whatever he had, and payment to be made.

But since he had not the means to repay, his master commanded him to be sold, together with his wife and children and everything that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;

So the servant fell down, bowed down before him, and said, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'

27 and the lord of that servant having been moved with compassion did release him, and the debt he forgave him.

So the master of that servant, since he was moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.

28 'And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest.

But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii. He grasped him, took him by the throat, and said, 'Pay me what you owe.'

29 His fellow-servant then, having fallen down at his feet, was calling on him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;

But his fellow servant fell down and implored him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you.'

30 and he would not, but having gone away, he cast him into prison, till he might pay that which was owing.

But the first servant refused. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he should pay him what he owed.

31 'And his fellow-servants having seen the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, and having come, shewed fully to their lord all the things that were done;

When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very upset. They came and told their master everything that had happened.

32 then having called him, his lord saith to him, Evil servant! all that debt I did forgive thee, seeing thou didst call upon me,

Then that servant's master called him, and said to him, 'You wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you implored me.

33 did it not behove also thee to have dealt kindly with thy fellow-servant, as I also dealt kindly with thee?

Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?'

34 'And having been wroth, his lord delivered him to the inquisitors, till he might pay all that was owing to him;

His master was angry and handed him over to the torturers until he would pay all that was owed.

35 so also my heavenly Father will do to you, if ye may not forgive each one his brother from your hearts their trespasses.'

So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”