Matthew 18
18
1At that hour came the disciples near to Jesus, saying, ‘Who, now, is greater in the reign of the heavens?’
2And Jesus having called near a child, did set him in the midst of them,
3and said, ‘Verily I say to you, if ye may not be turned and become as the children, ye may not enter into the reign of the heavens;
4whoever then may humble himself as this child, he is the greater in the reign of the heavens.
5‘And he who may receive one such child in my name, doth receive me,
6and whoever may cause to stumble one of those little ones who are believing in me, it is better for him that a weighty millstone may be hanged upon his neck, and he may be sunk in the depth of the sea.
7‘Woe to the world from the stumbling-blocks! for there is a necessity for the stumbling-blocks to come, but woe to that man through whom the stumbling-block doth come!
8‘And if thy hand or thy foot doth cause thee to stumble, cut them off and cast from thee; it is good for thee to enter into the life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast to the fire the age-during.
9‘And if thine eye doth cause thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast from thee; it is good for thee one-eyed to enter into the life, rather than having two eyes to be cast to the gehenna of the fire.
10‘Beware! — ye may not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their messengers in the heavens do always behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens,
11for the Son of Man did come to save the lost.
12‘What think ye? if a man may have an hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, doth he not — having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains — seek that which is gone astray?
13and if it may come to pass that he doth find it, verily I say to you, that he doth rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray;
14so it is not will in presence of your Father who is in the heavens, that one of these little ones may perish.
15‘And if thy brother may sin against thee, go and show him his fault between thee and him alone, if he may hear thee, thou didst gain thy brother;
16and if he may not hear, take with thee yet one or two, that by the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may stand.
17‘And if he may not hear them, say [it] to the assembly, and if also the assembly he may not hear, let him be to thee as the heathen man and the tax-gatherer.
18‘Verily I say to you, Whatever things ye may bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever things ye may loose on the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.
19‘Again, I say to you, that, if two of you may agree on the earth concerning anything, whatever they may ask — it shall be done to them from my Father who is in the heavens,
20for where there are two or three gathered together — to my name, there am I in the midst of them.’
21Then Peter having come near to him, said, ‘Sir, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him — till seven times?’
22Jesus saith to him, ‘I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven.
23‘Because of this was the reign of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who did will to take reckoning with his servants,
24and he having begun to take account, there was brought near to him one debtor of a myriad of talents,
25and he having nothing to pay, his lord did command him to be sold, and his wife, and the children, and all, whatever he had, and payment to be made.
26The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;
27and the lord of that servant having been moved with compassion did release him, and the debt he forgave him.
28‘And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest.
29His fellow-servant then, having fallen down at his feet, was calling on him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;
30and he would not, but having gone away, he cast him into prison, till he might pay that which was owing.
31‘And his fellow-servants having seen the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, and having come, shewed fully to their lord all the things that were done;
32then having called him, his lord saith to him, Evil servant! all that debt I did forgive thee, seeing thou didst call upon me,
33did it not behove also thee to have dealt kindly with thy fellow-servant, as I also dealt kindly with thee?
34‘And having been wroth, his lord delivered him to the inquisitors, till he might pay all that was owing to him;
35so also my heavenly Father will do to you, if ye may not forgive each one his brother from your hearts their trespasses.’
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Matthew 18: YLT98
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
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.