1 A t that time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

At that time the followers came to Jesus. They said, “Who is the greatest in the holy nation of heaven?”

2 A nd He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,

Jesus took a little child and put him among them.

3 A nd said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children, you can never enter the kingdom of heaven.

He said, “For sure, I tell you, unless you have a change of heart and become like a little child, you will not get into the holy nation of heaven.

4 W hoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever is without pride as this little child is the greatest in the holy nation of heaven.

5 A nd whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me.

Whoever receives a little child because of Me receives Me.

6 B ut whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin, it would be better ( more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea.

But whoever is the reason for one of these little children who believe in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for him to have a large rock put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

7 W oe to the world for such temptations to sin and influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account or by whom the temptation comes!

“It is bad for the world because of that which makes people sin. Men will be tempted to sin. But it is bad for the one who is the reason for someone to sin.

8 A nd if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire.

If your hand or your foot is the reason you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to go into life without a hand or a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the fire of hell.

9 A nd if your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell (Gehenna) of fire.

If your eye is the reason you sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better for you to go into life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

10 B eware that you do not despise or feel scornful toward or think little of one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always are in the presence of and look upon the face of My Father Who is in heaven.

Be sure you do not hate one of these little children. I tell you, they have angels who are always looking into the face of My Father in heaven. The Lost Sheep

11 F or the Son of man came to save '> from the penalty of eternal death] that which was lost.

“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

12 W hat do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray and gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?

What do you think about this? A man has one hundred sheep and one of them is lost. Will he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to look for that one lost sheep?

13 A nd if it should be that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost.

If he finds it, for sure, I tell you, he will have more joy over that one, than over the ninety-nine that were not lost.

14 J ust so it is not the will of My Father Who is in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost and perish.

I tell you, My Father in heaven does not want one of these little children to be lost. What to Do with a Brother Who Sins Against You

15 I f your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him what he did without other people hearing it. If he listens to you, you have won your brother back again.

16 B ut if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other people with you. Every word may be remembered by the two or three who heard.

17 I f he pays no attention to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.

If he will not listen to them, tell the trouble to the church. If he does not listen to the church, think of him as a person who is as bad as one who does not know God and a person who gathers taxes.

18 T ruly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.

“For sure, I tell you, whatever you do not allow on earth will not have been allowed in heaven. Whatever you allow on earth will have been allowed in heaven.

19 A gain I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever '> everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.

Again I tell you this: If two of you agree on earth about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.

20 F or wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I Am in the midst of them.

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am with them.” True Forgiveness

21 T hen Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? up to seven times?

Then Peter came to Jesus and said, “Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him, up to seven times?”

22 J esus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!

Jesus said to him, “I tell you, not seven times but seventy times seven!

23 T herefore the kingdom of heaven is like a human king who wished to settle accounts with his attendants.

“The holy nation of heaven is like a king who wanted to find out how much money his servants owed him.

24 W hen he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10, 000 talents,

As he began, one of the servants was brought to him who owed him very much money.

25 A nd because he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made.

He could pay nothing that he owed. So the king spoke the word that he and his wife and his children and all that he had should be sold to pay what he owed.

26 S o the attendant fell on his knees, begging him, Have patience with me and I will pay you everything.

The servant got down on his face in front of the king. He said, ‘Give me time, and I will pay you all the money.’

27 A nd his master’s heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him the debt.

Then the king took pity on his servant and let him go. He told him he did not have to pay the money back.

28 B ut that same attendant, as he went out, found one of his fellow attendants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he caught him by the throat and said, Pay what you owe!

“But that servant went out and found one of the other servants who owed him very little money. He took hold of his neck and said, ‘Pay me the money you owe me!’

29 S o his fellow attendant fell down and begged him earnestly, Give me time, and I will pay you all!

The other servant got down at his feet and said, ‘Give me time, and I will pay you all the money.’

30 B ut he was unwilling, and he went out and had him put in prison till he should pay the debt.

But he would not. He had him put in prison until he could pay the money.

31 W hen his fellow attendants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and told everything that had taken place to their master.

“When his other servants saw what had happened, they were very sorry. They came and told the king all that was done.

32 T hen his master called him and said to him, You contemptible and wicked attendant! I forgave and cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.

Then the king called for the first one. He said, ‘You bad servant! I forgave you. I said that you would not have to pay back any of the money you owed me because you asked me.

33 A nd should you not have had pity and mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity and mercy on you?

Should you not have had pity on the other servant, even as I had pity on you?’

34 A nd in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed.

The king was very angry. He handed him over to men who would beat and hurt him until he paid all the money he owed.

35 S o also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses.

So will My Father in heaven do to you, if each one of you does not forgive his brother from his heart.”