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

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 J esus took a little child and put him among them.

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 H e 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.

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 W hoever is without pride as this little child is the greatest in the holy nation of heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 W hoever receives a little child because of Me receives Me.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

6 B ut 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.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 “ 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.

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

8 I f 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.

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, 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 everlasting fire.

9 I f 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.

And if thine eye offend thee, 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 hell fire.

10 B e 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

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

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

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

12 W hat 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?

How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

13 I f 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.

And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

14 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

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

15 “ 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.

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16 B ut 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.

But 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.

17 I f 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.

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

18 “ 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.

Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

19 A gain 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.

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

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

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

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

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 J esus said to him, “I tell you, not seven times but seventy times seven!

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

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

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

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

And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 H e 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.

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 T he servant got down on his face in front of the king. He said, ‘Give me time, and I will pay you all the money.’

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

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

Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28 “ 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!’

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29 T he other servant got down at his feet and said, ‘Give me time, and I will pay you all the money.’

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

30 B ut he would not. He had him put in prison until he could pay the money.

And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

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

So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32 T hen 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.

Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33 S hould you not have had pity on the other servant, even as I had pity on you?’

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

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

And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

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

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.