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 to Jesus and said, “ Who then is 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 child to Himself and set him before 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 are converted and become like children, you will not 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 then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

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

And whoever receives one such child in My name receives 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 Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Stumbling Blocks

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 because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block 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.

“ If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal 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.

If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.

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.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see 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 has come to save that which was lost. ] Ninety-nine Plus One

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 any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?

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.

If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.

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.

So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish. Discipline and Prayer

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 sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won 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 to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.

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 refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile 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 say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed 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 say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

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

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Forgiveness

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 and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

22 J esus said unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times, but, Until seventy times seven.

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to 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.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

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

When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

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.

But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment 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 slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’

27 T hen the lord of that slave was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt.

And the lord of that slave felt compassion and 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 slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back 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 slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’

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

But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.

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.

So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.

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 summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

33 w as it not also expedient unto thee to have mercy on thy fellowslave even as I had mercy on thee?

Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had 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 his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.

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

My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”