Matthew 18
1 In that hour came, the disciples unto Jesus, saying—Who then is, greatest, in the kingdom of the heavens?
On the same occasion the disciples came to Jesus, and asked him, “Who is really the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 And, calling near a child, he set it in the midst of them,
Jesus called a little child to him, and placed it in the middle of them, and then said,
3 and said—Verily, I say unto you, Except ye turn and become as the children, in nowise, shall ye enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
“I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven at all.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this child, the same, is the greatest, in the kingdom of the heavens;
Therefore, anyone who will humble themselves like this child – that person will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And, whosoever shall give welcome unto one such child as this, upon my name, unto me, giveth welcome.
And anyone who, for the sake of my name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.
6 And, whosoever shall cause to stumble one of these little ones who believe in me, it profiteth him, that there be hung a large mill-stone about his neck, and he be sunk in the wide main of the sea.
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.
7 Alas for the world! by reason of the causes of stumbling; for it is, necessary, that the causes of stumbling come, —nevertheless, alas for the man through whom the cause of stumbling cometh!
Alas for the world because of such temptations! There cannot but be temptations but sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!
8 But, if, thy hand or thy foot, be causing thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: It is, seemly for thee, to enter into life, maimed or lame, rather than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the age-abiding fire. (aiōnios g166)
“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)
9 And, if, thine eye, causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: It is, seemly, for thee, one-eyed, into life, to enter, rather than, having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
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)
10 Beware! do not despise one of these little ones; For I say unto you—that, their messengers in the heavens, do, continually, behold the face of my Father in the heavens.
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.
12 How, to you, doth it seem? If a certain man come to have a hundred sheep and one from among them go astray, Will he not leave the ninety-nine upon the mountains, and going, seek the straying one?
“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?
13 And, if it should be that he find it, Verily, I say unto you—He rejoiceth over it, more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.
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.
14 Thus, there is no desire, in the presence of my Father who is in the heavens, that, one of these little ones, should be lost.
So, too, it is the will of my Father who is in heaven that not one of these little ones should be lost.
15 But, if thy brother sin, withdraw, convince him, betwixt thee and him, alone, —If unto thee he hearken, thou hast gained thy brother;
“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.
16 But, if he do not hearken, take with thee, yet one or two, that, at the mouth of two witnesses or three, every declaration, maybe established;
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.
17 But, if he hear them amiss, tell it to the assembly, —And, if, even the assembly, he hear amiss, Let him be unto thee, just as the man of the nations and the tax-collector.
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.
18 Verily, I say unto you—Whatsoever things ye shall bind on the earth, shall be bound in heaven; and, whatsoever things ye shall loose on the earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
“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.
19 Again, [verily] I say unto you—If two from among you shall agree upon the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be brought to pass for them, from my Father who is in the heavens;
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.
20 For, where there are two or three, gathered together into my name, there, am I, in their midst.
For where two or three have come together in my name, I am present with them.”
21 Then, coming near, Peter said [to him]—Lord! how many times, shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until, seven, times?
Then Peter came up, and said to Jesus, “Master, how often am I to forgive someone who wrongs me? As many as seven times?”
22 Jesus saith to him—I say not unto thee, unto, seven, times, but, until seventy times seven.
But Jesus answered, “Not seven times, but seventy times seven.
23 For this cause, hath the kingdom of the heavens become like unto a man, a king, who wished to settle an account with his servants;
Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
24 And, when he, began, to settle, there was brought unto him a, certain, debtor, of a thousand talents;
When he had begun to do so, one of them was brought to him who owed him ten thousand bags of gold;
25 and, he, not having, wherewith to pay, the master ordered him to be sold, and the wife, and the children, and whatsoever he had, —and payment to be made.
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.
26 The servant therefore, falling down, began to do homage unto him, saying—Have patience with me, and, all, will I pay thee.
The servant threw himself down on the ground before him and said ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
27 And, moved with compassion, the master of that servant released him, and, the loan, he, forgave, him.
The master was moved with compassion; and he let him go, and forgave him the debt.
28 But that servant, going out, found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him, a hundred denaries, and, laying hold of him, he began seizing him by the throat, saying, Pay! if anything thou owest.
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.’
29 His fellow servant, therefore, falling down, began beseeching him, saying, Have patience with me! And I will pay thee.
His fellow servant threw himself on the ground and begged for mercy. ‘Have patience with me,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you.’
30 He, however, would not, but went away and cast him into prison, —until he should pay what was owing.
But the other would not, but went and put him in prison until he should pay his debt.
31 His fellow-servants, therefore, seeing, the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, —and went and made quite plain to their master all the things which had been done.
When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him.
32 Then, calling him near, his master saith unto him—O wicked servant! All that debt, forgave I thee, because thou didst beseech me.
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.
33 Was it not binding, upon thee also, to have mercy upon thy fellow-servant, as, I also, on thee, had mercy?
Shouldn’t you, also, to have shown mercy to your fellow servant, just as I showed mercy to you?’
34 And, provoked to anger, his master delivered him up to the torturers, until he should pay all that was owing.
Then his master, in anger, handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay the whole of his debt.
35 Thus, my heavenly Father also, will do unto you, if ye forgive not each one his brother, from your hearts.
So, also, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”
