Matthew 18

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 Jesus invited a little child to stand among them.

3 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to that man through whom they come!

8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life lame or crippled than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge 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 the fire of hell.

10 See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.

11 For the Son of Man came to save the lost.

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?

13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

15 If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.

20 For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

23 Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24 As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him.

25 Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

26 Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Master, have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

27 His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.

28 But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’

29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’

30 But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.

31 When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

32 Then the master summoned him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me.

33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’

34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that was owed him.

35 That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother his trespasses from your heart.”

1 ¶ At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 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.›

4 ‹Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.›

5 ‹And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.›

6 ‹But 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.›

7 ¶ ‹Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!›

8 ‹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 ‹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.›

10 ‹Take 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 ‹For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.›

12 ‹How think ye? if a man have an 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?›

13 ‹And 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.›

14 ‹Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.›

15 ¶ ‹Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.›

16 ‹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.›

17 ‹And 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 an heathen man and a publican.›

18 ‹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.›

19 ‹Again 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.›

20 ‹For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.›

21 ¶ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, ‹I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.›

23 ‹Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.›

24 ‹And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.›

25 ‹But 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.›

26 ‹The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.›

27 ‹Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.›

28 ‹But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took› [him] ‹by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.›

29 ‹And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.›

30 ‹And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.›

31 ‹So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.›

32 ‹Then 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:›

33 ‹Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?›

34 ‹And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.›

35 ‹So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.›

1 At that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying: Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 Jesus called a child unto him, and set him in the midst of them.

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye repent and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 He therefore that bringeth himself low, as this child, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whosoever shall receive one such child in my name receiveth me.

6 But whosoever shall offend one of these least ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the deepest part of the sea.

7 Woe to the world of trouble! Trouble must come, but woe to the man through whom trouble comes!

8 But if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to enter into life lame, or crippled, than to have two hands or two feet, and be cast into everlasting fire.

9 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, than to have two eyes, and be cast into the infernal fire.

10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones. For I say unto you: Your angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

12 What think ye? If any man have an hundred sheep, and one of them go astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine upon the mountains, and go and seek that which is strayed?

13 And if he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more than the ninety and nine which are not lost.

14 Neither is it the will of your Father which is in heaven, that any of these little ones should perish.

15 But if thy brother sin against thee, go and punish him between thee and him only. If he hear thee, thou hast won thy brother.

16 If he hear thee not, take thee another, or two, that all may stand upon the mouth of two or three witnesses.

17 If he hear not them, let the congregation know it. If he hear not the congregation, let him be accounted a heathen and a publican.

18 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.

19 Further I say unto you: If two of you shall become one on the earth, why it is that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

21 Then Peter came to him, and said, Lord, how often must I forgive my brother that sinneth against me? Is it enough seven times?

22 And JEsus said unto him, I tell thee, not seven times, but seventy times seven.

23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like unto a king that would reckon with his servants.

24 And when he began to reckon, there came before him one that owed him ten thousand pounds.

25 And when he had not money to pay, the LORD commanded to sell him, and his wife, and his children, and all that he had, and to pay.

26 And the servant fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me. I will pay thee all.

27 And the lord of that servant was grieved, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28 And the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence. And he took hold of him, and choked him, saying, Pay me that thou owest me.

29 And his fellow servant fell down, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me. I will pay you for everything.

30 But he would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay that which he owed.

31 And when his fellowservants saw these things, they were very sorrowful, and came and brought before their lord all that had happened.

32 And his lord brought him before him, and said unto him, O thou servant of the wicked! I have forgiven thee all this debt, because thou hast besought me;

33 Shouldest thou not also have mercy on thy fellow servant, as I have had mercy on thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the smiters, until he should pay all that he owed him.

35 So shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not your brother his trespasses from your hearts.