18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
18:2 He called a little child and had him stand among them.
18:3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
18:4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
18:5 “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
18:6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
18:7 “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!
18:8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
18:9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
18:10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
18:11
18:12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
18:13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.
18:14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.
18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
18:16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
18:17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18:18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
18:19 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
18:20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
18:21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
18:22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
18:23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
18:24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.
18:25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
18:26 “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’
18:27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
18:28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
18:29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
18:30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
18:31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
18:32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.
18:33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’
18:34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
18:35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
18:1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?
18:2 And He called a little child to Him and stood him in their midst
18:3 And said, Truly I say to you, Unless you turn and become like little children, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
18:4 He therefore who will humble himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.
18:5 And whoever receives one such little child because of My name, receives Me;
18:6 And whoever stumbles one of these little ones who believe into Me, it is more profitable for him that a great millstone be hung around his neck and he be drowned in the open sea.
18:7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! For it is necessary for stumbling blocks to come, but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes.
18:8 If your hand or your foot stumbles you, cut it off and cast it from you; it is better for you to enter into life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.
18:9 And if your eye stumbles you, pluck it out and cast it from you; it is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have two eyes and be cast into the Gehenna of fire.
18:10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in the heavens continually behold the face of My Father who is in the heavens.
18:11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which is lost.
18:12 What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and seek the one that has gone astray?
18:13 And if it so happens that he finds it, truly I say to you that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
18:14 In the same way, it is not the will of your Father who is in the heavens that one of these little ones perish.
18:15 Moreover if your brother sins against you, go, reprove him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
18:16 But if he does not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
18:17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you just like the Gentile and the tax collector.
18:18 Truly I say to you, Whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
18:19 Again, truly I say to you that if two of you are in harmony on earth concerning any matter for which they ask, it will be done for them from My Father who is in the heavens.
18:20 For where there are two or three gathered into My name, there am I in their midst.
18:21 Then Peter came and said to Him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?
18:22 Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy times seven.
18:23 For this reason the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who desired to settle accounts with his slaves.
18:24 And when he began to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.
18:25 But since he did not have the means to repay, the master commanded him to be sold, as well as his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.
18:26 Then the slave fell down and worshipped him, saying, Be patient with me and I will repay you all.
18:27 And the master of that slave was moved with compassion and released him and forgave him the loan.
18:28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and he took hold of him and began to choke him, saying, Repay me what you owe.
18:29 Then his fellow slave fell down and begged him, saying, Be patient with me and I will repay you.
18:30 But he would not; instead, he went away and threw him into prison until he would repay what was owed.
18:31 Then his fellow slaves, seeing what had taken place, were greatly grieved and came and explained fully to their master all that had taken place.
18:32 Then his master called him to him and said to him, Evil slave, all that debt I forgave you, because you begged me.
18:33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave even as I had mercy on you?
18:34 And his master became angry and delivered him to the torturers until he would repay all that was owed.
18:35 So also will My heavenly Father do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.