Matthew 18

Greatest in the kingdom

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 Then he called a little child over to sit among the disciples,3 and said, “I assure you that if you don’t turn your lives around and become like this little child, you will definitely not enter the kingdom of heaven.4 Those who humble themselves like this little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Falling into sin

6 “As for whoever causes these little ones who believe in me to trip and fall into sin, it would be better for them to have a huge stone hung around their necks and be drowned in the bottom of the lake.7 How terrible it is for the world because of the things that cause people to trip and fall into sin! Such things have to happen, but how terrible it is for the person who causes those things to happen!8 If your hand or your foot causes you to fall into sin, chop it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter into life crippled or lame than to be thrown into the eternal fire with two hands or two feet.

9 If your eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter into life with one eye than to be cast into a burning hell with two eyes.

Parable of the lost sheep

10 “Be careful that you don’t look down on one of these little ones. I say to you that their angels in heaven are always looking into the face of my Father who is in heaven.t12 What do you think? If someone had one hundred sheep and one of them wandered off, wouldn’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillsides and go in search for the one that wandered off?13 If he finds it, I assure you that he is happier about having that one sheep than about the ninety-nine who didn’t wander off.

14 In the same way, my Father who is in heaven doesn’t want to lose one of these little ones.

Sinning brother or sister

15 "If your brother or sister sins against you, go and correct them when you are alone together. If they listen to you, then you’ve won over your brother or sister.16 But if they won’t listen, take with you one or two others so that every word may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses .t17 But if they still won’t pay attention, report it to the church. If they won’t pay attention even to the church, treat them as you would a Gentile and tax collector.18 I assure you that whatever you fasten on earth will be fastened in heaven. And whatever you loosen on earth will be loosened in heaven.19 Again I assure you that if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, then my Father who is in heaven will do it for you.

20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them."

Parable of the unforgiving servant

21 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Should I forgive as many as seven times?"
22 Jesus said, “Not just seven times, but rather as many as seventy-seven times.t23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24 When he began to settle accounts, they brought to him a servant who owed him ten thousand bags of gold.t25 Because the servant didn’t have enough to pay it back, the master ordered that he should be sold, along with his wife and children and everything he had, and that the proceeds should be used as payment.26 But the servant fell down, kneeled before him, and said, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’

27 The master had compassion on that servant, released him, and forgave the loan.

28 “When that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred coins.t He grabbed him around the throat and said, ‘Pay me back what you owe me.’
29 “Then his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’

30 But he refused. Instead, he threw him into prison until he paid back his debt.
31 “When his fellow servants saw what happened, they were deeply offended. They came and told their master all that happened.32 His master called the first servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you appealed to me.33 Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’

34 His master was furious and handed him over to the guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid the whole debt.

35 "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you if you don’t forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

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.”