Matthew 18
18
1Around that time the disciples came to Jesus, and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2Jesus called over a small child. He had the child stand in front of them. 3“I tell you the truth, unless you change the way you think and become like little children, you won't ever enter the kingdom of heaven,” he told them. 4“But whoever humbles themselves and becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5Whoever accepts a little child like this in my name accepts me. 6But anyone who makes one of these little ones who trust in me sin, it would be better for them to have a large millstone#18:6. Literally, “a donkey millstone,” referring to the massive millstone turned by a donkey, rather than a small millstone turned by hand. tied around their neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7What a disaster is coming on the world for all its temptations to sin! Temptations will surely come, but it will be a disaster for the person through whom the temptation comes! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It's better for you to enter eternal life crippled or lame rather than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into eternal fire. 9If your eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away. It's better for you to enter eternal life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the fire of Gehenna.#18:9. “Gehenna.” See note under 5:22.
10Make sure you don't look down on these little ones. I tell you that in heaven their angels are always with#18:10. Literally, “see the face of.” my heavenly Father. 11#18:11. Verse 11 is not in the earliest manuscripts. 12What do you think about this? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders off, won't he leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that's wandered away? 13And if he finds it, I tell you he really rejoices over that sheep more than the ninety-nine that didn't wander away. 14In the same way my heavenly Father does not want any of these little ones to be lost.
15If a brother#18:15. Or “fellow believer.” sins against you,#18:15. The words “against you” are not in all the early manuscripts. If they are omitted, then this recommendation becomes a general one dealing with anyone's sins, whether “against you” or not. go and point out the wrong to him, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you've won your brother over. 16But if he doesn't listen, then take one or two more people with you, so that by two or three witnesses the truth can be confirmed.#18:16. See Deuteronomy 19:15. 17If, however, he refuses to listen to them, then tell the church. If he refuses to listen to the church as well, then treat him as a foreigner#18:17. Literally, a “Gentile,” a non-believer. and a tax collector. 18I tell you the truth, whatever you ban on earth will have been banned in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth will have been allowed in heaven.
19I also tell you that if two of you agree here on earth about something you're praying for, then my heavenly Father will do it for you. 20For where two or three gather together in my name, I'm there with them.”
21Peter came to Jesus and asked him, “Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother for sinning against me? Seven times?”
22“No, not seven times. I would say seventy times seven!” Jesus told him. 23“This is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with those servants who owed him money. 24As he began to settle accounts, one servant was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.#18:24. An astronomical amount. 25Since he didn't have the money to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all his possessions, so that the debt could be paid back. 26The servant fell down on his knees and said to his master, ‘Please be patient with me! I will pay everything back!’ 27The master took pity on the servant, released him, and canceled the debt. 28But when that same servant went out he found one of his fellow-servants who owed him just a hundred denarii.#18:28. A denarius was a small coin. The contrast is between the huge amount forgiven the first servant and the very small amount owed to him by the second servant. He grabbed him by the neck and choked him, saying, ‘Pay me back what you owe me!’ 29His fellow-servant threw himself down at the man's feet and begged him, ‘Please be patient with me! I will pay you back!’ 30But the man refused, and went and threw his fellow-servant into prison until he paid back what he owed.
31When the other servants saw what took place they were shocked and upset. They went and told their master everything that had happened. 32Then the master called the man back in and told him, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you all your debt because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have been merciful to your fellow-servant as well, just as I was merciful to you?’ 34His master became angry and handed him over to the jailors until he had repaid all the debt. 35This is what my heavenly Father will do to every one of you unless you sincerely#18:35. Literally, “from your heart.” forgive your brothers.”
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Matthew 18
18
Who Is the Greatest?
(Mark 9.33-37; Luke 9.46-48)
1 #
Luke 22.24. At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3#Mark 10.15; Luke 18.17. and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
Temptations to Sin
(Mark 9.42-48; Luke 17.1,2)
6But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh! 8#Matt 5.30. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9#Matt 5.29. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
(Luke 15.3-7)
10Take heed 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 which is in heaven. 11#Luke 19.10. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
A Brother Who Sins
15 #
Luke 17.3. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee,#18.15 against thee not found in best early manuscripts. go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16#Deut 17.6; 19.15. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. 18#Matt 16.19; John 20.23. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21 #
Luke 17.3,4. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.