Matthew 18-19 (English Standard Version)

Matthew 18

Who Is the Greatest?

 ^1(A) At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" ²And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you^(B) turn and^(C) become like children, you^(D) will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ^4(E) Whoever humbles himself like this child is the^(F) greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 ^5(G) "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, ⁶but^(H) whoever causes one of these^(I) little ones who believe in me to sin,^[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Temptations to Sin

 ⁷"Woe to the world for^(J) temptations to sin!^[b](K) For it is necessary that temptations come,^(L) but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! ^8(M) 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 crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into^(N) the eternal fire. ^9(O) And if your eye causes you to sin, tear 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^(P) hell^[c] of fire.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

 ¹⁰"See that you do not despise^(Q) one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven^(R) their angels always^(S) see the face of my Father who is in heaven.^{[d] 12(T)} What do you think?^(U) 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? ¹³And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. ¹⁴So^(V) it is not the will of my^[e] Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

If Your Brother Sins Against You

 ^15(W) "If your brother sins against you,^(X) go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have^(Y) gained your brother. ¹⁶But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established^(Z) by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷If he refuses to listen to them,^(AA) tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church,^(AB) let him be to you as^(AC) a Gentile and a tax collector. ¹⁸Truly, I say to you,^(AD) whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed^[f] in heaven. ¹⁹Again I say to you, if two of you^(AE) agree on earth about anything they ask,^(AF) it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are^(AG) gathered in my name,^(AH) there am I among them."

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

 ²¹Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often^(AI) will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?^(AJ) As many as seven times?" ²²Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.^[g]

 ²³"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished^(AK) to settle accounts with his servants.^{[h] 24}When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him^(AL) ten thousand^(AM) talents.^{[i] 25(AN)} And since he could not pay, his master ordered him^(AO) to be sold, with his wife and^(AP) children and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶So the servant^[j](AQ) fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' ²⁷And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and^(AR) forgave him the debt. ²⁸But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred^(AS) denarii,^[k] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' ²⁹So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' ³⁰He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. ³¹When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. ³²Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ^33(AT) And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' ^34(AU) And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,^[l](AV) until he should pay all his debt. ^35(AW) So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother^(AX) from your heart."

Matthew 19

Teaching About Divorce

 ¹Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from^(AY) Galilee and^(AZ) entered^(BA) the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. ²And^(BB) large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

 ³And Pharisees came up to him and^(BC) tested him by asking,^(BD) "Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?" ⁴He answered, ^(BE) "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵and said,^(BF) 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and^(BG) the two shall become one flesh'? ⁶So they are no longer two but one flesh.^(BH) What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." ⁷They said to him,^(BI) "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?" ⁸He said to them, "Because of your^(BJ) hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. ^9(BK) And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."^[m]

 ¹⁰The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." ¹¹But he said to them, ^(BL) "Not everyone can receive this saying, but only^(BM) those to^(BN) whom it is given. ¹²For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs^(BO) for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it."

Let the Children Come to Me

 ^13(BP) Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples^(BQ) rebuked the people, ¹⁴but Jesus said, ^(BR) "Let the little children^(BS) come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." ¹⁵And he laid his hands on them and went away.

The Rich Young Man

 ^16(BT) And behold, a man came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to^(BU) have^(BV) eternal life?" ¹⁷And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.^(BW) If you would enter life, keep the commandments." ¹⁸He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, ^(BX) "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, ¹⁹Honor your father and mother, and,^(BY) You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ²⁰The young man said to him,^(BZ) "All these I have kept. What do I still lack?" ²¹Jesus said to him, "If you would be^(CA) perfect, go,^(CB) sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have^(CC) treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." ^22(CD) When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

 ²³And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you,^(CE) only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. ^24(CF) Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter^(CG) the kingdom of God." ²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" ²⁶But Jesus^(CH) looked at them and said, ^(CI) "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." ²⁷Then Peter said in reply, "See,^(CJ) we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" ²⁸Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world,^[n](CK) when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me^(CL) will also sit on twelve thrones,^(CM) judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ^29(CN) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold^[o] and will^(CO) inherit eternal life. ³⁰But^(CP) many who are^(CQ) first will be last, and the last first.