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.
Matthew 18
18
Rank in the Kingdom
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2He called a little child and set him before them, 3and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever #I.e. turns his back on self-righteous pride and adopts a realistic self-view.humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5Whoever receives and welcomes one #I.e. new, childlike believer.child like this in My name receives Me; 6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Stumbling Blocks
7 “Woe (judgment is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!
8 “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. 9If your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; it is better for you to enter life with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.
10 “See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven [are in the presence of and] continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11#Early mss do not contain this verse.[For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]
Ninety-nine Plus One
12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost? 13And if it turns out that he finds it, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost. 14So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones be lost.
Discipline and Prayer
15 “If your brother sins # Late mss add against you. , go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother. 16But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the #Gr ecclasia, the word means a gathering and may be translated congregation, assembly, or church.church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector. 18I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth #Gr estai lelumenon, future perfect passive.shall have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth #Gr estai lelumenon, future perfect passive.shall have [already] been loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you, that if two # Lit of you. believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”
Forgiveness
21Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he began the accounting, one who owed him 10,000 #A talent was a measurement of weight, usually 58-80 pounds. One talent of silver was worth more than 15 years’ wages. One talent of gold was worth even more. 10,000 talents would be an inconceivable amount of debt for a slave in the king’s service to repay.talents was brought to him. 25But because he could not repay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made. 26So the slave fell on his knees and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27And his master’s heart was moved with compassion and he released him and forgave him [canceling] the debt. 28But that same slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him #About 100 days’ wages for a laborer.a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29So his fellow slave fell on his knees and begged him earnestly, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30But he was unwilling and he went and had him thrown in prison until he paid back the debt. 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and they went and reported to their master [with clarity and in detail] everything that had taken place. 32Then his master called him and said to him, ‘You wicked and contemptible slave, I forgave all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me. 33Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave [who owed you little by comparison], as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (jailers) until he paid all that he owed. 35My heavenly Father will also do the same to [every one of] you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
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