Κατα Ματθαιον 18

1 εν εκεινη τη ωρα προσηλθον οι μαθηται τω ιησου λεγοντες τις αρα μειζων εστιν εν τη βασιλεια των ουρανων

On the same occasion the disciples came to Jesus, and asked him, “Who is really the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 και προσκαλεσαμενος ο ιησους παιδιον εστησεν αυτο εν μεσω αυτων

Jesus called a little child to him, and placed it in the middle of them, and then said,

3 και ειπεν αμην λεγω υμιν εαν μη στραφητε και γενησθε ως τα παιδια ου μη εισελθητε εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων

“I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven at all.

4 οστις ουν ταπεινωση εαυτον ως το παιδιον τουτο ουτος εστιν ο μειζων εν τη βασιλεια των ουρανων

Therefore, anyone who will humble themselves like this child – that person will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 και ος εαν δεξηται παιδιον τοιουτον εν επι τω ονοματι μου εμε δεχεται

And anyone who, for the sake of my name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.

6 ος δ αν σκανδαλιση ενα των μικρων τουτων των πιστευοντων εις εμε συμφερει αυτω ινα κρεμασθη μυλος ονικος επι τον τραχηλον αυτου και καταποντισθη εν τω πελαγει της θαλασσης

But, if anyone puts temptation in the way of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be best for them to be sunk in the depths of the sea with a great millstone hung around their neck.

7 ουαι τω κοσμω απο των σκανδαλων αναγκη γαρ εστιν ελθειν τα σκανδαλα πλην ουαι τω ανθρωπω εκεινω δι ου το σκανδαλον ερχεται

Alas for the world because of such temptations! There cannot but be temptations but sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!

8 ει δε η χειρ σου η ο πους σου σκανδαλιζει σε εκκοψον αυτα και βαλε απο σου καλον σοι εστιν εισελθειν εις την ζωην χωλον η κυλλον η δυο χειρας η δυο ποδας εχοντα βληθηναι εις το πυρ το αιωνιον (aiōnios g166)

“If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter life maimed or lame, than to have both hands, or both feet, and be thrown into the fire that never goes out. (aiōnios g166)

9 και ει ο οφθαλμος σου σκανδαλιζει σε εξελε αυτον και βαλε απο σου καλον σοι εστιν μονοφθαλμον εις την ζωην εισελθειν η δυο οφθαλμους εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν του πυρος (Geenna g1067)

If your eye causes you to sin, take it out, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the life with only one eye, than to have both eyes and be thrown into the fires of Gehenna. (Geenna g1067)

10 ορατε μη καταφρονησητε ενος των μικρων τουτων λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι οι αγγελοι αυτων εν ουρανοις δια παντος βλεπουσιν το προσωπον του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις

Beware of despising one of these little ones, for in heaven, I tell you, their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

11 ηλθεν γαρ ο υιος του ανθρωπου σωσαι το απολωλος

12 τι υμιν δοκει εαν γενηται τινι ανθρωπω εκατον προβατα και πλανηθη εν εξ αυτων ουχι αφεις τα εννενηκονταεννεα επι τα ορη πορευθεις ζητει το πλανωμενον

“What think you? If a person owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will the person not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying?

13 και εαν γενηται ευρειν αυτο αμην λεγω υμιν οτι χαιρει επ αυτω μαλλον η επι τοις εννενηκονταεννεα τοις μη πεπλανημενοις

And, if they succeed in finding it, I tell you that they rejoice more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not stray.

14 ουτως ουκ εστιν θελημα εμπροσθεν του πατρος υμων του εν ουρανοις ινα αποληται εις των μικρων τουτων

So, too, it is the will of my Father who is in heaven that not one of these little ones should be lost.

15 εαν δε αμαρτηση εις σε ο αδελφος σου υπαγε και ελεγξον αυτον μεταξυ σου και αυτου μονου εαν σου ακουση εκερδησας τον αδελφον σου

“If your brother or sister does wrong, go to them and convince them of their fault when you are both alone. If they listen to you, you have won them over.

16 εαν δε μη ακουση παραλαβε μετα σου ετι ενα η δυο ινα επι στοματος δυο μαρτυρων η τριων σταθη παν ρημα

But, if they do not listen to you, take with you one or two others, so that on the evidence of two or three witnesses, every word may be put beyond dispute.

17 εαν δε παρακουση αυτων ειπε τη εκκλησια εαν δε και της εκκλησιας παρακουση εστω σοι ωσπερ ο εθνικος και ο τελωνης

If they refuse to listen to them, speak to the church; and, if they also refuse to listen to the church, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.

18 αμην λεγω υμιν οσα εαν δησητε επι της γης εσται δεδεμενα εν τω ουρανω και οσα εαν λυσητε επι της γης εσται λελυμενα εν τω ουρανω

“I tell you, all that you forbid on earth will be held in heaven to be forbidden, and all that you allow on earth will be held in heaven to be allowed.

19 παλιν λεγω υμιν οτι εαν δυο υμων συμφωνησωσιν επι της γης περι παντος πραγματος ου εαν αιτησωνται γενησεται αυτοις παρα του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις

Again, I tell you that, if but two of you on earth agree as to what they will pray for, whatever it be, it will be granted them by my Father who is in heaven.

20 ου γαρ εισιν δυο η τρεις συνηγμενοι εις το εμον ονομα εκει ειμι εν μεσω αυτων

For where two or three have come together in my name, I am present with them.”

21 τοτε προσελθων αυτω ο πετρος ειπεν κυριε ποσακις αμαρτησει εις εμε ο αδελφος μου και αφησω αυτω εως επτακις

Then Peter came up, and said to Jesus, “Master, how often am I to forgive someone who wrongs me? As many as seven times?”

22 λεγει αυτω ο ιησους ου λεγω σοι εως επτακις αλλ εως εβδομηκοντακις επτα

But Jesus answered, “Not seven times, but seventy times seven.

23 δια τουτο ωμοιωθη η βασιλεια των ουρανων ανθρωπω βασιλει ος ηθελησεν συναραι λογον μετα των δουλων αυτου

Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

24 αρξαμενου δε αυτου συναιρειν προσηνεχθη αυτω εις οφειλετης μυριων ταλαντων

When he had begun to do so, one of them was brought to him who owed him ten thousand bags of gold;

25 μη εχοντος δε αυτου αποδουναι εκελευσεν αυτον ο κυριος αυτου πραθηναι και την γυναικα αυτου και τα τεκνα και παντα οσα ειχεν και αποδοθηναι

and, as he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold towards the payment of the debt, together with his wife, and his children, and everything that he had.

26 πεσων ουν ο δουλος προσεκυνει αυτω λεγων κυριε μακροθυμησον επ εμοι και παντα σοι αποδωσω

The servant threw himself down on the ground before him and said ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’

27 σπλαγχνισθεις δε ο κυριος του δουλου εκεινου απελυσεν αυτον και το δανειον αφηκεν αυτω

The master was moved with compassion; and he let him go, and forgave him the debt.

28 εξελθων δε ο δουλος εκεινος ευρεν ενα των συνδουλων αυτου ος ωφειλεν αυτω εκατον δηναρια και κρατησας αυτον επνιγεν λεγων αποδος μοι ο τι οφειλεις

But, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. Seizing him by the throat, he said ‘Pay what you owe me.’

29 πεσων ουν ο συνδουλος αυτου εις τους ποδας αυτου παρεκαλει αυτον λεγων μακροθυμησον επ εμοι και παντα αποδωσω σοι

His fellow servant threw himself on the ground and begged for mercy. ‘Have patience with me,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you.’

30 ο δε ουκ ηθελεν αλλ απελθων εβαλεν αυτον εις φυλακην εως ου αποδω το οφειλομενον

But the other would not, but went and put him in prison until he should pay his debt.

31 ιδοντες δε οι συνδουλοι αυτου τα γενομενα ελυπηθησαν σφοδρα και ελθοντες διεσαφησαν τω κυριω αυτων παντα τα γενομενα

When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him.

32 τοτε προσκαλεσαμενος αυτον ο κυριος αυτου λεγει αυτω δουλε πονηρε πασαν την οφειλην εκεινην αφηκα σοι επει παρεκαλεσας με

So the master sent for the servant, and said to him ‘You wicked servant! When you begged me for mercy, I forgave you the whole of that debt.

33 ουκ εδει και σε ελεησαι τον συνδουλον σου ως και εγω σε ηλεησα

Shouldn’t you, also, to have shown mercy to your fellow servant, just as I showed mercy to you?’

34 και οργισθεις ο κυριος αυτου παρεδωκεν αυτον τοις βασανισταις εως ου αποδω παν το οφειλομενον αυτω

Then his master, in anger, handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay the whole of his debt.

35 ουτως και ο πατηρ μου ο επουρανιος ποιησει υμιν εαν μη αφητε εκαστος τω αδελφω αυτου απο των καρδιων υμων τα παραπτωματα αυτων

So, also, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”