馬太福音 18
天國裡誰最大
1 那時，門徒前來問耶穌：“天國裡誰是最大的呢？”2 耶穌叫了一個小孩子站在他們當中，說：3 “我實在告訴你們，如果你們不回轉，變成像小孩子一樣，一定不能進天國。4 所以，凡謙卑像這小孩子的，他在天國裡是最大的。5 凡因我的名接待一個這樣的小孩子的，就是接待我；
6 但無論誰使一個信我的小弟兄犯罪，倒不如拿一塊大磨石拴在他的頸項上，把他沉在深海裡。
堅拒使人犯罪
7 “這世界有禍了，因為充滿使人犯罪的事。這些事是免不了的，但那使人犯罪的有禍了！8 如果你的一隻手或一隻腳使你犯罪，就把它砍下來丟掉；你一隻手或一隻腳進永生，總比有兩隻手或兩隻腳被投進永火裡好。
9 如果你的一隻眼睛使你犯罪，就把它挖出來丟掉；你一隻眼睛進永生，總比有兩隻眼睛被投進地獄的火裡好。
迷羊的比喻
10 “你們要小心，不要輕視這些小弟兄中的一個。我告訴你們，他們的使者在天上，常常見到我天父的面。（有些抄本有第11 節：“人子來，是要拯救失喪的人。”）12 你們認為怎樣？有一個人，他有一百隻羊，如果失了一隻，他會不把九十九隻留在山上，去尋找那迷失的嗎？13 我實在告訴你們，他若找到了，就為這一隻羊歡喜，勝過為那九十九隻沒有迷失的。
14 照樣，你們在天上的父是不願意這些小弟兄中有一個失喪的。
怎樣對待犯了罪的弟兄
15 “如果你的弟兄犯了罪，你趁著和他單獨在一起的時候，要去指出他的過失來。如果他肯聽，你就得著你的弟兄。16 如果他不肯聽，就另外帶一兩個人同去，好使一切話，憑兩三個證人的口，可以確定。
17 如果他再不聽，就告訴教會；如果連教會他也不聽，就把他看作教外人和稅吏吧。
18 “我實在告訴你們，你們在地上捆綁的，在天上也被捆綁；你們在地上釋放的，在天上也被釋放。19 我又告訴你們，你們當中若有兩個人，在地上同心為甚麼事祈求，我在天上的父必為他們成全。
20 因為無論在哪裡，有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，我就在他們中間。”
不饒恕人的也得不著饒恕
21 那時，彼得前來問耶穌：“主啊，如果我的弟兄得罪我，我要饒恕他多少次？七次嗎？”22 耶穌對他說：“我告訴你，不是七次，而是七十個七次。23 因此，天國好像一個王，要和他的僕人算帳，24 剛算的時候，有人帶了一個欠下六千萬銀幣的人來。25 他沒有錢償還，主人就下令叫人把他和他的妻子兒女，以及一切所有的都賣掉，用來償還。26 那僕人就跪下拜他，說：‘請寬容我，我會把一切還給你的。’27 主人動了慈心，把那僕人放了，並且免了他的債。28 那僕人出來，遇見一個欠了他一百個銀幣的僕人，就抓住他，扼著他的喉嚨，說：‘把你欠我的錢還給我。’29 那和他一同作僕人的就跪下求他，說：‘請寬容我，我會還給你的。’30 他卻不肯，反而把他帶走，關在監裡，等他把所欠的還清。31 其他的僕人看見這事，非常難過，就去向主人報告這一切事情。32 於是主人叫他來，對他說：‘你這個惡僕，你求我，我就免了你欠我的一切。33 難道你不應該憐憫你的同伴，好像我憐憫你一樣嗎？’34 於是主人大怒，把他送去服刑，等他把所欠的一切還清。
35 如果你們各人不從心裡饒恕你的弟兄，我的天父也必這樣待你們。”
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.”
