Matthew, 18

1. At this time the disciples came to Jesus and said, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?'

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

2. So he called a little child to him whom he set among them.

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

3. Then he said, 'In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.

3. 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. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

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

5. 'Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.

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

6. But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck.

6. 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. Alas for the world that there should be such causes of falling! Causes of falling indeed there must be, but alas for anyone who provides them!

7. 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. 'If your hand or your foot should be your downfall, cut it off and throw it away: it is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.

8. 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. And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away: it is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell of fire.

9. 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. 'See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.

10. 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.

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

12. 'Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?

12. 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. In truth I tell you, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all.

13. 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. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

14. 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 does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.

15. 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. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: whatever the misdemeanour, the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain the charge.

16. 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. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a gentile or a tax collector.

17. 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. 'In truth I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

18. 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. 'In truth I tell you once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven.

19. 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. For where two or three meet in my name, I am there among them.'

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

21. Then Peter went up to him and said, 'Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?'

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

22. Jesus answered, 'Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.

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

23. 'And so the kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants.

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

24. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents;

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

25. he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt.

25. 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. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master's feet, with the words, "Be patient with me and I will pay the whole sum."

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

27. And the servant's master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt.

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

28. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow-servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him, saying, "Pay what you owe me."

28. 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. His fellow-servant fell at his feet and appealed to him, saying, "Be patient with me and I will pay you."

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

30. But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt.

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

31. His fellow-servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him.

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

32. Then the master sent for the man and said to him, "You wicked servant, I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me.

32. 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. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you?"

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

34. And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt.

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

35. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.'

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