1 | At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" |
2 | And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, |
3 | and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. |
4 | Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. |
5 | "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; |
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 | "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 | 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 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 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them." |
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 said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. |
23 | "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. |
24 | When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; |
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 | So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' |
27 | And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. |
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 | So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' |
30 | He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. |
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 his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; |
33 | and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' |
34 | And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. |
35 | So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." |