Matthew 18
18
Greatness in the Kingdom
(Mark 9:33–37; Luke 9:46–48)
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3Then he said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.
Causing Others to Lose Faith
(Mark 9:42–50; Luke 17:1–4)
6“These little ones believe in me. It would be best for the person who causes one of them to lose faith to be drowned in the sea with a large stone hung around his neck. 7How horrible it will be for the world because it causes people to lose their faith. Situations that cause people to lose their faith will arise. How horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith!
8“If your hand or your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life disabled or injured than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. 9If your eye causes you to lose your faith, tear 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 hellfire.
10“Be careful not to despise these little ones. I can guarantee that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father, who is in heaven.#18:10 Some manuscripts and translations add verse 11: “The Son of Man came to save the lost.”
The Lost Sheep
(Luke 15:1–7)
12“What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep in the hills to look for the one that has strayed? 13I can guarantee this truth: If he finds it, he is happier about it than about the 99 that have not strayed. 14In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want one of these little ones to be lost.
Dealing with Believers When They Do Wrong
15“If a believer does something wrong,#18:15 Some manuscripts and translations add “against you.” go, confront him when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back that believer. 16But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation may be verified by two or three witnesses. 17If he ignores these witnesses, tell it to the community of believers. If he also ignores the community, deal with him as you would a heathen or a tax collector. 18I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.
19“I can guarantee again that if two of you agree on anything here on earth, my Father in heaven will accept it. 20Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”
Personally Forgiving Others
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked him, “Lord, how often do I have to forgive a believer who wrongs me? Seven times?”
22Jesus answered him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy times seven.
23“That is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he began to do this, a servant who owed him millions of dollars was brought to him. 25Because he could not pay off the debt, the master ordered him, his wife, his children, and all that he had to be sold to pay off the account. 26Then the servant fell at his master’s feet and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay everything!’
27“The master felt sorry for his servant, freed him, and canceled his debt. 28But when that servant went away, he found a servant who owed him hundreds of dollars. He grabbed the servant he found and began to choke him. ‘Pay what you owe!’ he said.
29“Then that other servant fell at his feet and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ 30But he refused. Instead, he turned away and had that servant put into prison until he would repay what he owed.
31“The other servants who worked with him saw what had happened and felt very sad. They told their master the whole story.
32“Then his master sent for him and said to him, ‘You evil servant! I canceled your entire debt, because you begged me. 33Shouldn’t you have treated the other servant as mercifully as I treated you?’
34“His master was so angry that he handed him over to the torturers until he would repay everything that he owed. 35That is what my Father in heaven will do to you if each of you does not sincerely forgive other believers.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 18
18
True Greatness
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2He called a child, whom he put among them, 3and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Temptations to Sin
6“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!
8“If 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 lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell#18.9 Gk Gehenna of fire.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
10“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. 11#18.11 Other ancient authorities add verse 11, For the Son of Man came to save the lost 12What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14So it is not the will of your#18.14 Other ancient authorities read my Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
Reproving Another Who Sins
15“If another member of the church#18.15 Gk If your brother sins against you,#18.15 Other ancient authorities lack against you go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.#18.15 Gk the brother 16But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Forgiveness
21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church#18.21 Gk if my brother sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven#18.22 Or seventy times seven times.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents#18.24 A talent was worth more than fifteen years' wages of a laborer was brought to him; 25and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii;#18.28 The denarius was the usual day's wage for a laborer and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister#18.35 Gk brother from your heart.”
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.