MATTEUS 18
Die belangrikste in die koninkryk
(Mark. 9:33-37; Luk. 9:46-48)
1 In daardie tyd het die dissipels by Jesus gekom met die vraag: “Wie is die belangrikste in die koninkryk van die hemel?”
2 Hy het 'n kindjie nader geroep en hom tussen hulle laat staan 3 en gesê: “Dit verseker Ek julle: As julle nie verander en soos kindertjies word nie, sal julle beslis nie in die koninkryk van die hemel kom nie. 4 Wie homself gering ag soos hierdie kindjie, hy is die belangrikste in die koninkryk van die hemel. 5 En wie so 'n kindjie in my Naam ontvang, ontvang My.”
Aanleiding tot afvalligheid
(Mark. 9:42-48; Luk. 17:1-2)
6 “Elkeen wat een van hierdie kleintjies wat in My glo, van My afvallig maak, vir hom is dit beter as hy met 'n groot meulsteen aan sy nek in die diep see verdrink. 7 Hoe jammer tog vir die wêreld dat daar dinge is wat die mens afvallig maak! Sulke dinge kom noodwendig, maar wee die mens deur wie dit kom.
8 “As jou hand of jou voet jou van My afvallig maak, kap hom af en gooi hom van jou af weg. Dit is vir jou beter om vermink of kreupel die lewe in te gaan as om met altwee jou hande of voete in die ewige vuur gegooi te word. 9 En as jou oog jou van My afvallig maak, ruk hom uit en gooi hom van jou af weg. Dit is vir jou beter om met een oog die lewe in te gaan as om met altwee oë in die vuur van die hel gegooi te word.”
Die gelykenis van die verlore skaap
(Luk. 15:3-7)
10 “Julle moet nooit een van hierdie kleintjies minag nie, want Ek verseker julle dat hulle engele in die hemel gedurigdeur by my hemelse Vader is.t
12 “Hoe dink julle? As iemand honderd skape het en een van hulle raak weg, sal hy nie die nege en negentig daar in die bergveld laat staan en die een wat weg is, gaan soek nie? 13 En as hy hom kry, verseker Ek julle, is hy blyer oor hom as oor die nege en negentig wat nie weggeraak het nie. 14 So is dit ook nie die wil van julle Vader in die hemel dat een van hierdie kleintjies verlore moet gaan nie.”
'n Broer wat sondig
(Luk. 17:3)
15 “As jou broer verkeerd opgetree het teen jou, gaan wys hom tereg waar julle eenkant alleen is. As hy na jou luister, het jy jou broer teruggewen. 16 Maar as hy nie luister nie, neem nog een of twee met jou saam, sodat alles wat gesê word, deur die woord van twee of drie getuies bevestig kan word. 17 En as hy na hulle nie luister nie, sê dit vir die gemeente. As hy ook na die gemeente nie luister nie, moet jy hom as 'n heiden en 'n tollenaar behandel.
18 “Dit verseker Ek julle: Wat julle ook al op die aarde toesluit, sal in die hemel toegesluit bly; en wat julle ook al op die aarde oopsluit, sal in die hemel oopgesluit bly. 19 Verder verseker Ek julle: As twee van julle op aarde oor enige saak saamstem en daaroor bid, sal my Vader wat in die hemel is, hulle dit laat kry, 20 want waar twee of drie in my Naam saam is, daar is Ek by hulle.”
Die plig om te vergewe
21 Daarna het Petrus na Jesus toe gekom en gevra: “Here, hoeveel keer moet ek my broer vergewe as hy iets verkeerds teen my doen? Selfs sewe keer?”
22 Jesus antwoord hom: “Ek sê vir jou, nie sewe keer nie maar selfs sewentig maal sewe keer. 23 Daarom kan die koninkryk van die hemel vergelyk word met 'n koning wat besluit het om saam met sy amptenare hulle boeke na te gaan. 24 Toe hy daarmee begin, is een amptenaar na hom toe gebring wat miljoene rand geskuld het. 25 Hy kon dit nie betaal nie, en daarom het die koning beveel dat hy en sy vrou en sy kinders en alles wat hy het, verkoop en die skuld betaal moet word. 26 Die man het voor hom neergeval en gesoebat: ‘Gee my tog uitstel; ek sal u alles terugbetaal.’ 27 Die koning het hom jammer gekry, hom laat gaan en sy skuld afgeskryf.
28 “Toe daardie man buite kom, het hy een van sy medeamptenare raakgeloop wat hom net 'n paar rand geskuld het. Hy het hom gegryp en gewurg, en gesê: ‘Betaal wat jy skuld!’ 29 Sy medeamptenaar het voor hom neergeval en hom gesmeek: ‘Gee my tog uitstel, ek sal jou betaal.’ 30 Maar hy wou nie en hy is daar weg om hom in die tronk te laat gooi totdat hy die skuld betaal het.
31 “Toe sy medeamptenare sien wat gebeur het, was hulle diep teleurgesteld, en hulle het alles wat gebeur het, vir hulle koning gaan vertel. 32 Die koning het hom laat haal en vir hom gesê: ‘Jou skurk! Al daardie skuld het ek vir jou afgeskryf omdat jy my gesoebat het. 33 Moes jy nie ook jou medeamptenaar jammer gekry het soos ek jou jammer gekry het nie?’ 34 Die koning was woedend en het hom oorgegee om gemartel te word totdat hy al die skuld betaal het.
35 “So sal my Vader wat in die hemel is, ook met julle maak as julle nie elkeen sy broer van harte vergewe nie.”
Matthew 18
1 AT that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?2 And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them,3 And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.5 And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.6 But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.7 Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.8 And if thy hand, or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.9 And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.10 See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.12 What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go to seek that which is gone astray?13 And if it so be that he find it: Amen I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that, than for the ninety-nine that went not astray.14 Even so it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.15 But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother.16 And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.17 And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.18 Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven.20 For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.21 Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?22 Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants.24 And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents.25 And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.26 But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.27 And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt.28 But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest.29 And his fellow servant falling down, 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 paid the debt.31 Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done.32 Then his lord called him; and said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me:33 Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee?34 And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt.35 So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.