马太福音 18

天国里谁最伟大

1 这时，门徒上前来，问耶稣：“在天国谁最伟大？”2 耶稣叫了一个小孩子来站在他们当中，然后说：3 “我实在告诉你们，你们若不变得像小孩子那样，绝不能进天国。4 所以，凡像这小孩子一样谦卑的人，在天国才是最伟大的。

5 “任何人为了我的名而接待这样一个小孩子，就是接待了我。6 但不论谁使这样一个小信徒失足犯罪，他的下场比把大磨石拴在他脖子上沉到深海里还要惨。7 这世界有祸了！因为里面充满了引人犯罪的事。这样的事是免不了的，但那些引人犯罪的人有祸了！

8 “如果你的手或脚使你犯罪，就砍掉它！因为肢体残缺着进入永生，总比四肢健全却被丢进永远不灭的火中好。9 如果你的一只眼睛使你犯罪，就剜出来丢掉它吧！独眼进入永生，总比双目健全却被丢进地狱的火中好。10 你们切不可轻视任何一位卑微的人。我告诉你们，他们的天使在天上常见我天父的面。

迷失的羊

11 “人子到世界来，为要拯救迷失的人。12 如果一个人有一百只羊，其中有一只走迷了路，他会怎么办呢？难道不会把那九十九只撇在山上，去找那只迷失的羊吗？13 我实在告诉你们，如果找到了，他会非常欢喜，甚至比有那九十九只没有迷失的羊还欢喜。14 同样，你们的天父也不愿任何一个卑微的人失丧。

纠正信徒的过错

15 “如果你的弟兄得罪了你，你要找个机会跟他单独在一起，指出他的错处。如果他肯接受劝告，你就得了一位弟兄。16 如果他不听劝告，你就带一两位弟兄去见他，让两三个人为谈话作证。17 如果他仍然不听，就应当告诉教会。如果他连教会也不听，就把他看作异教徒或税吏t。18 我实在告诉你们，你们在地上捆绑的，在天上也要捆绑；你们在地上释放的，在天上也要释放。

19 “我又告诉你们，如果你们当中有两个人在地上同心合意地祈求，不论求什么，我天上的父必为你们成就。20 因为哪里有两三个人奉我的名聚会，我就在哪里与他们同在。”

七十个七次

21 彼得上前问耶稣：“主啊，如果我的弟兄得罪了我，我该饶恕他多少次呢？七次够了吧？”22 耶稣回答说：“我告诉你，不是七次，是七十个七次。

23 “因此，天国就像一个王，他要跟奴仆清算债务。24 正开始清算的时候，有人带着一个欠了六千万银币t的人进来。25 因为这个人无法清还债款，王就下令把他及其妻儿和所有财产全部卖掉还债。26 那奴仆跪在王面前乞求说，‘请宽容我，我会把债务全部还清的。’27 王可怜他，不但释放了他，而且免了他全部的债。28 可是，那奴仆出去后，遇见一位欠他一百个银币t的同伴，就揪住同伴，掐着他的喉咙说，‘还我钱！’

29 “同伴跪下哀求道，‘请宽容我，我会还你的。’30 那奴仆却不肯，竟把同伴送进监狱，直到他还清债务为止。31 其他的奴仆目睹这一切，都愤愤不平，把这件事告诉了王。

32 “于是，王把那奴仆召来，说，“你这可恶的奴才！你哀求我，我就免了你所有的债。33 难道你不应该怜悯你的同伴，就像我怜悯你一样吗？’34 王大怒，下令把他交给狱卒受刑，直到他还清全部的债务。35 如果你们不从心里饶恕自己的弟兄，我的天父也要这样对待你们。”

Matthew 18

Questions About the Greatest

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”2 He called a child, had him stand among them,3 and said, “I tell you the truth,t unless you turn around and become like little children,s you will nevert enter the kingdom of heaven!4 Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whoever welcomest a child like this in my name welcomes me.
6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,t it would be better for him to have a huge millstonets hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea.t7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Itt is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.8 Ift your hand or your foot causes you to sin,s cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to havet two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.

9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to havet two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell.ts

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

10 “See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.ss12 What do you think? If someonet owns a hundreds sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray?s13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth,t he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.

Restoring Christian Relationships

15 “Ift your brothert sins,s go and show him his faultt when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother.16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.s

17 Ift he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. Ift he refuses to listen to the church, treat him liket a Gentilet or a tax collector.s
18 “I tell you the truth,t whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.19 Again, I tell you the truth,t if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.t

20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”
21 Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brothert who sins against me? As many as seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times!t

The Parable of the Unforgiving Slave

23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.t24 Ast he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talentss was brought to him.25 Becauset he was not able to repay it,t the lord ordered him to be sold, along witht his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made.26 Then the slave threw himself to the groundt before him, saying,s ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’27 The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt.28 Aftert he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins.t Sot he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him,t saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’t29 Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him,t ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’30 But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt.31 Whent his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place.32 Then his lord called the first slavet and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me!33 Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’34 And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture himt until he repaid all he owed.

35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive yourt brothert from your heart.”