Matthew 18
18
The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Causing to Stumble
6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, 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. 9And if your eye causes you to stumble, 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.
The Parable of the Wandering Sheep
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11]#18:11 Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10.
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? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Dealing With Sin in the Church
15 “If your brother or sister # 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35. sins,#18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’#18:16 Deut. 19:15 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be # 18:18 Or will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be#18:18 Or will have been loosed in heaven.
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.#18:22 Or seventy times seven
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold#18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages. was brought to him. 25Since 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.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. # 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii ; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2). He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
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. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
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Matthew 18: NIV
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
Matthew 18
18
CHAPTER 18
1In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, and said, Who, guessest thou, is [the] greater in the kingdom of heavens?
2And Jesus called a little child, and put him in the middle [or in the midst] of them;
3and said, I say truth to you [or Truly I say to you], but ye be turned, and [be] made as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heavens.
4Therefore whoever meeketh him-[self] as this little child, he is greater in the kingdom of heavens.
5And he that receiveth one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
6But whoso causeth to stumble one of these small [or these little], that believe in me, it speedeth to him, that a millstone of asses be hanged in his neck, and he be drenched or drowned in the deepness of the sea.
7Woe to the world, for causes of stumbling; for it is needed, that causes of stumbling come; nevertheless woe to that man by whom a cause of stumbling cometh.
8And if thine hand or thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it away from thee. It is better to thee to enter [in] to life feeble, either crooked, than having twain hands or two feet to be sent into everlasting fire.
9And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, pull it out, and cast it away from thee. It is better to thee, with one eye to enter into life, than having twain eyes to be sent into the fire of hell [or into hellfire].
10See ye, that ye despise not one of these little. For I say to you [or Truly I say to you], that the angels of them in heavens see evermore the face of my Father that is in heavens.
11For man’s Son came to save that thing that perished.
12What seemeth to you? If there were to a man an hundred sheep, and one of them hath erred, whether he shall not leave ninety and nine in desert [or in the hills], and shall go to seek that that erred?
13And if it fall that he find it, truly I say to you, that he shall have joy thereof [or for he shall joy thereon], more than on ninety and nine that erred not.
14So it is not the will of your Father that is in heavens [or in heaven], that one of these little perish.
15But if thy brother sinneth against thee, go thou, and reprove him, betwixt thee and him alone; if he heareth thee, thou hast won thy brother.
16And if he heareth thee not, take with thee one or twain that every word stand in the mouth of twain or three witnesses.
17And if he heareth not them, say thou to the church. But if he heareth not the church, be he as a heathen and a publican to thee.
18I say to you truly, whatever things ye bind on earth, those shall be bound also in heaven; and whatever things ye unbind on earth, those shall be unbound also in heaven.
19Again I say to you, that if twain of you consent on earth, of everything whatever they ask, it shall be done to them of my Father that is in heavens.
20For where twain or three be gathered in my name, there I am in the middle of them. [For where two or three be gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.]
21Then Peter came to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I shall forgive him? Whether till seven times?
22Jesus saith to him, I say not to thee, till seven times; but till [or to] seventy times seven times.
23Therefore the kingdom of heavens is likened to a king that would reckon with his servants.
24And when he began to reckon, one that owed to him ten thousand talents [or bezants], was brought to him.
25And when he had not whereof to yield, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all things that he had, and to be paid.
26But that servant felled down, and prayed him, and said, have patience in me, and I shall yield to thee all things.
27And the lord had mercy on that servant, and suffered him to go [or delivered him], and forgave him the debt.
28But that servant went out, and found one of his even-servants, that owed him an hundred pence; and he held him, and strangled him, and said, Yield that that thou owest.
29And his even-servant fell down, and prayed him, and said, have patience in me, and I shall requite all things to thee.
30But he would not; but went out, and put [or sent] him into prison, till he paid all the debt.
31And his even-servants, seeing the things that were done, sorrowed greatly. And they came, and told to their lord all the things that were done.
32Then his lord called him, and said to him, Wicked servant, I forgave to thee all the debt, for thou prayedest me.
33Therefore whether it behooved not also thee to have mercy on thine even-servant, as I had mercy on thee?
34And his lord was wroth, and took him to tormentors, till he paid all the debt.
35So my Father of heaven shall do to you, if ye forgive not every man to his brother, of your hearts.
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