Matthew 18
1 On the same occasion the disciples came to Jesus, and asked him: “Who is really the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 Jesus called a little child to him, and placed it in the middle of them, and then said:
And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them,
3 “I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all.
and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Therefore, any one who will humble himself like this child — that man shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me:
6 But, if any one puts a snare in the way of one of these lowly ones who believe in me, it would be best for him to be sunk in the depths of the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck.
but whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and [that] he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.
7 Alas for the world because of such snares! There cannot but be snares; yet alas for the man who is answerable for the snare!
Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!
8 If your hand or your foot is a snare to you, cut it off, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the Life maimed or lame, than to have both hands, or both feet, and be thrown into the aeonian fire. (aiōnios g166)
And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. (aiōnios g166)
9 If your eye is a snare to you, 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 fiery Pit. (Geenna g1067)
And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire. (Geenna g1067)
10 Beware of despising one of these lowly ones, for in Heaven, I tell you, their angels always see the face of my Father who is in Heaven.
See that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
12 What think you? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying?
How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray?
13 And, if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you that he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not stray.
And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray.
14 So, too, it is the will of my Father who is in Heaven that not one of these lowly ones should be lost.
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
15 If your Brother does wrong, go to him and convince him of his fault when you and he are alone. If he listens to you, you have won your Brother.
And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But, if he does 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.’
But if he hear [thee] not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established.
17 If he refuses to listen to them, speak to the Church; and, if he also refuses to listen to the Church, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.
And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.
18 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.
Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again, I tell you that, if but two of you on earth agree as to what they shall pray for, whatever it be, it will be granted them by my Father who is in Heaven.
Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven.
20 For where two or three have come together in my Name, I am present with them.”
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
21 Then Peter came up, and said to Jesus: “Master, how often am I to forgive my Brother when he wrongs me? As many as seven times?”
Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?
22 But Jesus answered: “Not seven times, but ‘seventy times seven.’
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.
23 And therefore the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants.
24 When he had begun to do so, one of them was brought to him who owed him six million pounds;
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents.
25 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.
But forasmuch as he had not [wherewith] to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 Thereupon the servant threw himself down on the ground before him and said ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 The master was moved with compassion; and he let him go, and forgave him the debt.
And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow-servants who owed him ten pounds. Seizing him by the throat, he said ‘Pay what you owe me.’
But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.
29 Thereupon his fellow-servant threw himself on the ground and begged for mercy. ‘Have patience with me,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you.’
So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.
30 But the other would not, but went and put him in prison till he should pay his debt.
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due.
31 When his fellow-servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him.
So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Upon that 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.
Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me:
33 Ought not you, also, to have shown mercy to your fellow-servant, just as I showed mercy to you?’
shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?
34 Then his master, in anger, handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay the whole of his debt.
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.
35 So, also, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each one of you forgives his Brother from his heart.”
So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.
