Matthew 18
1 In that hour, the disciples drew near to Jesus, saying, Whom do you consider to be greater in the kingdom of heaven?2 And Jesus, calling to himself a little child, placed him in their midst.3 And he said: Amen I say to you, unless you change and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.4 Therefore, whoever will have humbled himself like this little child, such a one is greater in the kingdom of heaven.5 And whoever shall accept one such little child in my name, accepts me.6 But whoever will have led astray one of these little ones, who trust in me, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck, and to be submerged in the depths of the sea.7 Woe to a world that leads people astray! Although it is necessary for temptations to arise, nevertheless: Woe to that man through whom temptation arises!8 So if your hand or your foot leads you to sin, cut it off and cast it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life disabled or lame, than to be sent into eternal fire having two hands or two feet.9 And if your eye leads you to sin, root it out and cast it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than to be sent into the fires of Hell having two eyes.10 See to it that you do not despise even one of these little ones. For I say to you, that their Angels in heaven continually look upon the face of my Father, who is in heaven.11 For the Son of man has come to save what had been lost.12 How does it seem to you? If someone has one hundred sheep, and if one of them has gone astray, should he not leave behind the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go out to seek what has gone astray?13 And if he should happen to find it: Amen I say to you, that he has more joy over that one, than over the ninety-nine which did not go astray.14 Even so, it is not the will before your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should be lost.15 But if your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have regained your brother.16 But if he will not listen you, invite with you one or two more, so that every word may stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses.17 And if he will not listen to them, tell the Church. But if he will not listen to the Church, let him be to you like the pagan and the tax collector.18 Amen I say to you, whatever you will have bound on earth, shall be bound also in heaven, and whatever you will have released on earth, shall be released also in heaven.19 Again I say to you, that if two of those among you have agreed on earth, about anything whatsoever that they have requested, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in heaven.20 For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I, in their midst.21 Then Peter, drawing near to him, said: Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Even seven times?22 Jesus said to him: I do not say to you, even seven times, but even seventy times seven times.23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who was king, who wanted to take account of his servants.24 And when he had begun taking account, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.25 But since he did not have any way to repay it, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, in order to repay it.26 But that servant, falling prostrate, begged him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.27 Then the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, released him, and he forgave his debt.28 But when that servant departed, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarius. And taking hold of him, he choked him, saying: Repay what you owe.29 And his fellow servant, falling prostrate, petitioned him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.30 But he was not willing. Instead, he went out and had him sent to prison, until he would repay the debt.31 Now his fellow servants, seeing what was done, were greatly saddened, and they went and reported to their lord all that was done.32 Then his lord called him, and he said to him: You wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt, because you pleaded with me.33 Therefore, should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I also had compassion on you?34 And his lord, being angry, handed him over to the torturers, until he repaid the entire debt.35 So, too, shall my heavenly Father do to you, if each one of you will not forgive his brother from your hearts.
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.”