Matthew 18
18
Who Is the Greatest?
1At #Mark 9:33–37; Luke 9:46–48; 22:24–27that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2Then Jesus called a little #Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:14–17child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, #Ps. 131:2; Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:16; (1 Cor. 14:20; 1 Pet. 2:2)unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4#(Matt. 20:27; 23:11)Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5#(Matt. 10:42); Luke 9:48Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
Jesus Warns of Offenses
6#Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2; (1 Cor. 8:12)“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of offenses! For #Luke 17:1; (1 Cor. 11:19); 1 Tim. 4:1offenses must come, but #Matt. 26:24; 27:4, 5woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
8#Matt. 5:29, 30; Mark 9:43, 45“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
10“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven #(Ps. 34:7); Zech. 13:7; (Heb. 1:14)their angels always #Esth. 1:14; Luke 1:19; Acts 12:15; (Rev. 8:2)see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11#Luke 9:56; John 3:17For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
12#Matt. 18:12–14; Luke 15:4–7“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14Even so it is not the #(1 Tim. 2:4)will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Dealing with a Sinning Brother
15“Moreover #Lev. 19:17; (Luke 17:3, 4; Gal. 6:1); 2 Thess. 3:15; (James 5:19)if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, #(James 5:20); 1 Pet. 3:1you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that #Deut. 17:6; 19:15; John 8:17; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19; Heb. 10:28‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a #Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:9; (2 Thess. 3:6, 14; 2 John 10)heathen and a tax collector.
18“Assuredly, I say to you, #Matt. 16:19; (John 20:22, 23; 1 Cor. 5:4)whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19#(1 Cor. 1:10)“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, #(1 John 3:22; 5:14)it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered #Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 14:26together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? #Luke 17:4Up to seven times?”
22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, #(Matt. 6:14; Mark 11:25); Col. 3:13up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded #Ex. 21:2; Lev. 25:39; 2 Kin. 4:1; Neh. 5:5, 8that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you #Luke 7:41–43all that debt because you begged me. 33Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35#Prov. 21:13; Matt. 6:12; Mark 11:26; James 2:13“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
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Matthew 18: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Matthew 18
18
1In that hour the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens? 2And Jesus having called a little child to him, set it in their midst, 3and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens. 4Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens; 5and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me. 6But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were profitable for him that a great millstone had been hanged upon his neck and he be sunk in the depths of the sea.
7Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; yet woe to that man by whom the offence comes! 8And if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into eternal fire. 9And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life one-eyed, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire. 10See that ye do not despise one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in the heavens continually behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens. 11For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost. 12What think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray? 13And if it should come to pass that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more because of it than because of the ninety and nine not gone astray. 14So it is not the will of your Father who is in the heavens that one of these little ones should perish.
15But if thy brother sin against thee, go, reprove him between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16But if he do not hear thee, take with thee one or two besides, that every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three. 17But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer. 18Verily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens. 20For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.
21Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? until seven times? 22Jesus says to him, I say not to thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven. 23For this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen. 24And having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25But he not having anything to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made. 26The bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all. 27And the lord of that bondman, being moved with compassion, loosed him and forgave him the loan. 28But that bondman having gone out, found one of his fellow-bondmen who owed him a hundred denarii. And having seized him, he throttled him, saying, Pay me if thou owest anything. 29His fellow-bondman therefore, having fallen down at his feet, besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. 30But he would not, but went away and cast him into prison, until he should pay what was owing. 31But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place. 32Then his lord, having called him to him, says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me; 33shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-bondman, as I also had compassion on thee? 34And his lord being angry delivered him to the tormentors till he paid all that was owing to him. 35Thus also my heavenly Father shall do to you if ye forgive not from your hearts every one his brother.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.