< Matthew 18 >

1 On the same occasion the disciples came to Jesus, and asked him, “Who is really the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
At that hour came the disciples near to Jesus, saying, 'Who, now, is greater in the reign of the heavens?'
2 Jesus called a little child to him, and placed it in the middle of them, and then said,
And Jesus having called near a child, did set him in the midst of them,
3 “I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven at all.
and said, 'Verily I say to you, if ye may not be turned and become as the children, ye may not enter into the reign of the heavens;
4 Therefore, anyone who will humble themselves like this child – that person will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
whoever then may humble himself as this child, he is the greater in the reign of the heavens.
5 And anyone who, for the sake of my name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.
'And he who may receive one such child in my name, doth receive me,
6 But, if anyone puts temptation in the way of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be best for them to be sunk in the depths of the sea with a great millstone hung around their neck.
and whoever may cause to stumble one of those little ones who are believing in me, it is better for him that a weighty millstone may be hanged upon his neck, and he may be sunk in the depth of the sea.
7 Alas for the world because of such temptations! There cannot but be temptations but sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!
'Woe to the world from the stumbling-blocks! for there is a necessity for the stumbling-blocks to come, but woe to that man through whom the stumbling-block doth come!
8 “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter life maimed or lame, than to have both hands, or both feet, and be thrown into the fire that never goes out. (aiōnios g166)
'And if thy hand or thy foot doth cause thee to stumble, cut them off and cast from thee; it is good for thee to enter into the life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast to the fire the age-during. (aiōnios g166)
9 If your eye causes you to sin, take it out, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the life with only one eye, than to have both eyes and be thrown into the fires of Gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
'And if thine eye doth cause thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast from thee; it is good for thee one-eyed to enter into the life, rather than having two eyes to be cast to the gehenna of the fire. (Geenna g1067)
10 Beware of despising one of these little ones, for in heaven, I tell you, their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
'Beware! — ye may not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their messengers in the heavens do always behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens,
for the Son of Man did come to save the lost.
12 “What think you? If a person owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will the person not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying?
'What think ye? if a man may have an hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, doth he not — having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains — seek that which is gone astray?
13 And, if they succeed in finding it, I tell you that they rejoice more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not stray.
and if it may come to pass that he doth find it, verily I say to you, that he doth rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray;
14 So, too, it is the will of my Father who is in heaven that not one of these little ones should be lost.
so it is not will in presence of your Father who is in the heavens, that one of these little ones may perish.
15 “If your brother or sister does wrong, go to them and convince them of their fault when you are both alone. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
'And if thy brother may sin against thee, go and show him his fault between thee and him alone, if he may hear thee, thou didst gain thy brother;
16 But, if they do not listen to you, take with you one or two others, so that on the evidence of two or three witnesses, every word may be put beyond dispute.
and if he may not hear, take with thee yet one or two, that by the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may stand.
17 If they refuse to listen to them, speak to the church; and, if they also refuse to listen to the church, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.
'And if he may not hear them, say [it] to the assembly, and if also the assembly he may not hear, let him be to thee as the heathen man and the tax-gatherer.
18 “I tell you, all that you forbid on earth will be held in heaven to be forbidden, and all that you allow on earth will be held in heaven to be allowed.
'Verily I say to you, Whatever things ye may bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever things ye may loose on the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.
19 Again, I tell you that, if but two of you on earth agree as to what they will pray for, whatever it be, it will be granted them by my Father who is in heaven.
'Again, I say to you, that, if two of you may agree on the earth concerning anything, whatever they may ask — it shall be done to them from my Father who is in the heavens,
20 For where two or three have come together in my name, I am present with them.”
for where there are two or three gathered together — to my name, there am I in the midst of them.'
21 Then Peter came up, and said to Jesus, “Master, how often am I to forgive someone who wrongs me? As many as seven times?”
Then Peter having come near to him, said, 'Sir, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him — till seven times?'
22 But Jesus answered, “Not seven times, but seventy times seven.
Jesus saith to him, 'I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven.
23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
'Because of this was the reign of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who did will to take reckoning with his servants,
24 When he had begun to do so, one of them was brought to him who owed him ten thousand bags of gold;
and he having begun to take account, there was brought near to him one debtor of a myriad of talents,
25 and, as he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold towards the payment of the debt, together with his wife, and his children, and everything that he had.
and he having nothing to pay, his lord did command him to be sold, and his wife, and the children, and all, whatever he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant threw himself down on the ground before him and said ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;
27 The master was moved with compassion; and he let him go, and forgave him the debt.
and the lord of that servant having been moved with compassion did release him, and the debt he forgave him.
28 But, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. Seizing him by the throat, he said ‘Pay what you owe me.’
'And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest.
29 His fellow servant threw himself on the ground and begged for mercy. ‘Have patience with me,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you.’
His fellow-servant then, having fallen down at his feet, was calling on him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;
30 But the other would not, but went and put him in prison until he should pay his debt.
and he would not, but having gone away, he cast him into prison, till he might pay that which was owing.
31 When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him.
'And his fellow-servants having seen the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, and having come, shewed fully to their lord all the things that were done;
32 So the master sent for the servant, and said to him ‘You wicked servant! When you begged me for mercy, I forgave you the whole of that debt.
then having called him, his lord saith to him, Evil servant! all that debt I did forgive thee, seeing thou didst call upon me,
33 Shouldn’t you, also, to have shown mercy to your fellow servant, just as I showed mercy to you?’
did it not behove also thee to have dealt kindly with thy fellow-servant, as I also dealt kindly with thee?
34 Then his master, in anger, handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay the whole of his debt.
'And having been wroth, his lord delivered him to the inquisitors, till he might pay all that was owing to him;
35 So, also, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”
so also my heavenly Father will do to you, if ye may not forgive each one his brother from your hearts their trespasses.'

< Matthew 18 >