1 A t that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

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

2 T hen Jesus called a little child to Him, 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, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

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 T herefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

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

5 W hoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. Jesus Warns of Offenses

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 “ Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned 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 W oe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must 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 “ If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting 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 your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. The Parable of the Lost Sheep

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 “ Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

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 “ What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

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 he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that 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 heaven that one of these little ones should perish. Dealing with a Sinning Brother

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 “ Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your 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, take with you one or two more, that ‘by 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 refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

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 “ Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will 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 “ Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

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, I am there in the midst of them.” The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

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? Up to 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 to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

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

23 T herefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

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 settle accounts, one was brought to 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 as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment 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 servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’

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

27 T hen the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released 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 “ But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

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 S o his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you 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 threw him into prison till 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 fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been 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 master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged 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 hould you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’

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 master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

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

35 “ So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his 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.