The Compassion of the Lord

God's Sovereign Choice

9 ^(A)I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— ² that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For ^(B)I could wish that I myself were ^(C)accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,^[a] my kinsmen ^(D)according to the flesh. ⁴ They are ^(E)Israelites, and to them belong ^(F)the adoption, ^(G)the glory, ^(H)the covenants, ^(I)the giving of the law, ^(J)the worship, and ^(K)the promises. ⁵ To them belong ^(L)the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, ^(M)who is God over all, ^(N)blessed forever. Amen.

If Your Brother Sins Against You

^15 (A)“If your brother sins against you, ^(B)go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have ^(C)gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established ^(D)by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, ^(E)tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, ^(F)let him be to you as ^(G)a Gentile and ^(H)a tax collector. ¹⁸ Truly, I say to you, ^(I)whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed^[a] in heaven. ¹⁹ Again I say to you, if two of you ^(J)agree on earth about anything they ask, ^(K)it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are ^(L)gathered in my name, ^(M)there am I among them.”

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

²¹ Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often ^(N)will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? ^(O)As many as seven times?” ²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

²³ “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished ^(P)to settle accounts with his servants.^{[b] 24} When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ^(Q)ten thousand ^(R)talents.^{[c] 25 (S)}And since he could not pay, his master ordered him ^(T)to be sold, with his wife and ^(U)children and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ So the servant^{[d] (V)}fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and ^(W)forgave him the debt. ²⁸ But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred ^(X)denarii,^[e] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰ He refused and went and put him in prison until 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 master all that had taken place. ³² Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ^33 (Y)And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ ^34 (Z)And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,^{[f] (AA)}until he should pay all his debt. ^35 (AB)So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother ^(AC)from your heart.”

^9 (A)Pray then like this:

^14 (M)For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, ^15 (N)but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

^14 (A)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and ^(B)the love of God and ^(C)the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.