1 I n that hour the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?

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

2 A nd Jesus having called a little child to, set it in their midst,

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

3 a nd said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

And 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.

4 W hoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens;

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

5 a nd whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me.

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

6 B ut whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were profitable for him that a great millstone had been hanged upon his neck and he be sunk in the depths of the sea.

But 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.

7 W oe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; yet woe to that man by whom the offence comes!

Woe 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!

8 A nd if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off and cast from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life lame or maimed, than having two hands or two feet to be cast into eternal fire.

And 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.

9 A nd if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life one-eyed, than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire.

And 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.

10 S ee that ye do not despise one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in heavens continually behold the face of my Father who is in heavens.

Beware 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.

11 F or the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.

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

12 W hat think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray?

What 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?

13 A nd if it should come to pass that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more because of it than because of the ninety and nine not gone astray.

And 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.

14 S o it is not the will of your Father who is in heavens that one of these little ones should perish.

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

15 B ut if thy brother sin against thee, go, reprove him between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

If 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.

16 B ut if he do not hear, take with thee one or two besides, that every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three.

But 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.

17 B ut if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer.

If 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.

18 V erily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Truly 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.

19 A gain I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in heavens.

Again 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.

20 F or where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.

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

21 T hen Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? until seven times?

Then 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?

22 J esus says to him, I say not to thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven.

Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!

23 F or this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen.

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

24 A nd having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him.

When he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10, 000 talents,

25 B ut he not having anything to pay, lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made.

And 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.

26 T he bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all.

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

27 A nd the lord of that bondman, being moved with compassion, loosed him and forgave him the loan.

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

28 B ut that bondman having gone out, found one of his fellow-bondmen who owed him a hundred denarii. And having seized him, he throttled him, saying, Pay if thou owest anything.

But 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!

29 H is fellow-bondman therefore, having fallen down, besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.

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

30 B ut he would not, but went away and cast him into prison, until he should pay what was owing.

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

31 B ut his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place.

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

32 T hen his lord, having called him to, says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me;

Then 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.

33 s houldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-bondman, as I also had compassion on thee?

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

34 A nd his lord being angry delivered him to the tormentors till he paid all that was owing to him.

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

35 T hus also my heavenly Father shall do to you if ye forgive not from your hearts every one his brother.

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