Matthew, 18

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

1. At that time the disciples came to 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 calling to him a child, he put 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, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter 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. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

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

5. "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives 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 whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be 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 to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!

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. And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal 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 your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of 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. "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.

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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. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went 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 he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

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

14. So it is not the will of my Father who 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. "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your 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 does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

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. 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. '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. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you 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 to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father 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 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 Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"

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

22. Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but 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 the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

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

24. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who 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. and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with 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. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'

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

27. And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released 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 that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.'

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

29. So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'

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

30. He refused and went and put him in 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. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.

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 summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;

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

33. and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'

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

34. And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.

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

35. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."