1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is
greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of
them, 3 and said, “Most assuredly I tell you, unless you turn,
and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom
of Heaven. 4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the
same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5 Whoever receives one such
little child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these
little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a
huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in
the depths of the sea.
7 “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that
the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it
from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather
than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. 9 If
your eye causes you to stumble, 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 the Gehenna*1 of fire. 10 See that
you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in
heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
12 “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of
them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and
seek that which has gone astray? 13 If he finds it, most assuredly I tell
you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone
astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that
one of these little ones should perish.
15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you
and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 If he
refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the
assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Most
assuredly I tell you, whatever things you will bind on earth will be
bound in heaven, and whatever things you will release on earth will be
released in heaven. 19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will
agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for
them by my Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”
21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until
seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain
king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. 24 When he had
begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand
talents.*2 25 But because he couldn’t pay,
his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that
he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down and
kneeled before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay
you all!’ 27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion,
released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who
owed him one hundred denarii,*3 and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me
what you owe!’
29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying,
‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ 30 He would not, but went
and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly
sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord
called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that
debt, because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your
fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ 34 His lord was angry, and
delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each
forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
1 or, Hell
2 Ten thousand talents represents an extremely large sum of money,
equivalent to about 60,000,000 denarii, where one denarius was typical of one
day’s wages for agricultural labor.
3 100 denarii was about one sixtieth of a
talent.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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