1 ¶ At the same time the disciples came unto Jesus, saying, Who is the 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 called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them

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

3 a nd said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not 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 hosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is 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 cause one of these little ones who believe in me to fall, it would be better for him that a millstone such as is turned by an ass be hanged about his neck and that he be sunk in the depth 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 ¶ Woe unto the world because of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense 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 T herefore if thy hand or thy foot cause thee to fall, cut them off and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather 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 causes thee to fall, pluck it out and cast it from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather 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 T ake heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in the heavens their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in the 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 is 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 do you think? If a man had a hundred sheep and one of them went astray, would he not leave the ninety-nine and go into the mountains and seek that which is 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 so be that he finds it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more of that one than of the ninety-nine who did not go 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 E ven so it is not the will of your Father who is in the 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 ¶ Therefore if thy brother shall sin against thee, go and reprove him between thee and him alone; if he shall 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 will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

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 A nd if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the congregation; but if he neglects to hear the congregation, let him be unto thee as a worldly man and a publican.

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 unto you, Whatever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in the heaven; and whatever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in the 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 unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in the 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 in 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 ¶ Then 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 said unto him, I say not unto 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 T herefore is the kingdom of the heavens likened unto a man who is king who would take account of his slaves.

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

24 A nd when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him who owed him ten thousand talents.

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

25 B ut he not having wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, to make payment.

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 slave therefore fell down and worshipped him, 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 T hen the lord of that slave was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt.

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

28 B ut as the same slave was leaving, he found one of his fellowslaves who owed him a hundred denarius, and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest.

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 A nd his fellowslave fell down at his feet and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

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

30 A nd he would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay the debt.

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

31 S o when his fellowslaves saw what was done, they were very grieved and came and declared unto their lord all that was done.

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, after he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked slave, I forgave thee all that debt because thou didst beseech 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 w as it not also expedient unto thee to have mercy on thy fellowslave even as I had mercy 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 was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due unto him.

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

35 S o likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you unless from your hearts ye forgive every one his brother their trespasses.

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.