馬太福音 18
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
天國裡誰最偉大
18 這時，門徒上前來，問耶穌：「在天國誰最偉大？」
2 耶穌叫了一個小孩子來站在他們當中，然後說： 3 「我實在告訴你們，你們若不變得像小孩子那樣，絕不能進天國。 4 所以，凡像這小孩子一樣謙卑的人，在天國才是最偉大的。
5 「任何人為了我的名而接待這樣一個小孩子，就是接待了我。 6 但不論誰使這樣一個小信徒失足犯罪，他的下場比把大磨石拴在他脖子上沉到深海裡還要慘。 7 這世界有禍了！因為裡面充滿了引人犯罪的事。這樣的事是免不了的，但那些引人犯罪的人有禍了！
8 「如果你的手或腳使你犯罪，就砍掉它！因為肢體殘缺著進入永生，總比四肢健全卻被丟進永遠不滅的火中好。 9 如果你的一隻眼睛使你犯罪，就剜出來丟掉它吧！獨眼進入永生，總比雙目健全卻被丟進地獄的火中好。 10 你們切不可輕視任何一位卑微的人。我告訴你們，他們的天使在天上常見我天父的面。
迷失的羊
11 「人子到世界來，為要拯救迷失的人。 12 如果一個人有一百隻羊，其中有一隻走迷了路，他會怎麼辦呢？難道不會把那九十九隻撇在山上，去找那隻迷失的羊嗎？ 13 我實在告訴你們，如果找到了，他會非常歡喜，甚至比有那九十九隻沒有迷失的羊還歡喜。 14 同樣，你們的天父也不願任何一個卑微的人失喪。
糾正信徒的過錯
15 「如果你的弟兄得罪了你，你要找個機會跟他單獨在一起，指出他的錯處。如果他肯接受勸告，你就得了一位弟兄。 16 如果他不聽勸告，你就帶一兩位弟兄去見他，讓兩三個人為談話作證。 17 如果他仍然不聽，就應當告訴教會。如果他連教會也不聽，就把他看作異教徒或稅吏[a]。 18 我實在告訴你們，你們在地上捆綁的，在天上也要捆綁；你們在地上釋放的，在天上也要釋放。
19 「我又告訴你們，如果你們當中有兩個人在地上同心合意地祈求，不論求什麼，我天上的父必為你們成就。 20 因為哪裡有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，我就在哪裡與他們同在。」
七十個七次
21 彼得上前問耶穌：「主啊，如果我的弟兄得罪了我，我該饒恕他多少次呢？七次夠了吧？」
22 耶穌回答說：「我告訴你，不是七次，是七十個七次。
23 「因此，天國就像一個王，他要跟奴僕清算債務。 24 正開始清算的時候，有人帶著一個欠了六千萬銀幣[b]的人進來。 25 因為這個人無法清還債款，王就下令把他及其妻兒和所有財產全部賣掉還債。 26 那奴僕跪在王面前乞求說，『請寬容我，我會把債務全部還清的。』 27 王可憐他，不但釋放了他，而且免了他全部的債。
28 「可是，那奴僕出去後，遇見一位欠他一百個銀幣[c]的同伴，就揪住同伴，掐著他的喉嚨說，『還我錢！』 29 同伴跪下哀求道，『請寬容我，我會還你的。』
30 「那奴僕卻不肯，竟把同伴送進監獄，直到他還清債務為止。 31 其他的奴僕目睹這一切，都憤憤不平，把這件事告訴了王。
32 「於是，王把那奴僕召來，說，『你這可惡的奴才！你哀求我，我就免了你所有的債。 33 難道你不應該憐憫你的同伴，就像我憐憫你一樣嗎？』 34 王大怒，下令把他交給獄卒受刑，直到他還清全部的債務。 35 如果你們不從心裡饒恕自己的弟兄，我的天父也要這樣對待你們。」
Matthew 18
International Children’s Bible
Who Is the Greatest?
18 At that time the followers came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Jesus called a little child to him. He stood the child before the followers. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth. You must change and become like little children. If you don’t do this, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 The greatest person in the kingdom of heaven is the one who makes himself humble like this child.
5 “Whoever accepts a little child in my name accepts me. 6 If one of these little children believes in me, and someone causes that child to sin, then it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for him to have a large stone tied around his neck and be drowned in the sea. 7 How terrible for the people of the world because of the things that cause them to sin. Such things will happen. But how terrible for the one who causes them to happen. 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to have only part of your body but have life forever. That is much better than to have two hands and two feet but be thrown into the fire that burns forever. 9 If your eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better for you to have only one eye but have life forever. That is much better than to have two eyes but be thrown into the fire of hell.
A Lost Sheep
10 “Be careful. Don’t think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that they have angels in heaven who are always with my Father in heaven. 11 [The Son of Man came to save lost people.][a]
12 “If a man has 100 sheep, but 1 of the sheep gets lost, he will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill. He will go to look for the lost sheep. 13 And if he finds it, he is happier about that 1 sheep than about the 99 that were never lost. I tell you the truth. 14 In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost.
When a Person Sins Against You
15 “If your brother sins against you,[b] go and tell him what he did wrong. Do this in private. If he listens to you, then you have helped him to be your brother again. 16 But if he refuses to listen, then go to him again and take one or two other people with you. ‘Every case may be proved by two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If he refuses to listen to them, then tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, then treat him as you would one who does not believe in God. Treat him as if he were a tax collector.
18 “I tell you the truth. The things you don’t allow on earth will be the things God does not allow. The things you allow on earth will be the things that God allows.
19 “Also, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something, then you can pray for it. And the thing you ask for will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 This is true because if two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them.”
An Unforgiving Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, when my brother sins against me, how many times must I forgive him? Should I forgive him as many as 7 times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, you must forgive him more than 7 times. You must forgive him even if he does wrong to you 70 times 7.
23 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who decided to collect the money his servants owed him. 24 So the king began to collect his money. One servant owed him several million dollars. 25 But the servant did not have enough money to pay his master, the king. So the master ordered that everything the servant owned should be sold, even the servant’s wife and children. The money would be used to pay the king what the servant owed.
26 “But the servant fell on his knees and begged, ‘Be patient with me. I will pay you everything I owe.’ 27 The master felt sorry for his servant. So the master told the servant he did not have to pay. He let the servant go free.
28 “Later, that same servant found another servant who owed him a few dollars. The servant grabbed the other servant around the neck and said, ‘Pay me the money you owe me!’
29 “The other servant fell on his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me. I will pay you everything I owe.’
30 “But the first servant refused to be patient. He threw the other servant into prison until he could pay everything he owed. 31 All the other servants saw what happened. They were very sorry. So they went and told their master all that had happened.
32 “Then the master called his servant in and said, ‘You evil servant! You begged me to forget what you owed. So I told you that you did not have to pay anything. 33 I had mercy on you. You should have had the same mercy on that other servant.’ 34 The master was very angry, and he put the servant in prison to be punished. The servant had to stay in prison until he could pay everything he owed.
35 “This king did what my heavenly Father will do to you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Footnotes
- 18:11 The . . . people. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
- 18:15 against you Some Greek copies do not have this phrase.
- 18:16 ‘Every . . . witnesses.’ Quotation from Deuteronomy 19:15.
Matthew 18
Modern English Version
The Greatest in the Kingdom(A)
18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in their midst, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself like this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such little child in My name receives Me.
Temptations to Sin(B)
6 “But whoever misleads one of these little ones who believe in Me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung about his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of temptations! For it must be that temptations come, but woe to that man by whom the temptation comes! 8 Therefore 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 lame or maimed than having two hands or two feet to be thrown into 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 having two eyes to be thrown into the fire of hell.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep(C)
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search for the one which went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine which never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
The Brother Who Sins(D)
15 “Now 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, then take with you one or two others, that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every word may be established.[a] 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. But 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 will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are assembled in My name, there I am in their midst.”
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle the accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[b] 25 But since he was not able to pay, his master ordered that he be sold with his wife, their children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 “So the servant fell on his knees, pleading with him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[c] He laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe.’
29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and entreated him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
30 “But he would not and went and threw him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what took place, they were very sorry and went and told their master all that had taken place.
32 “Then his master, after he had summoned him, said to him, ‘O you wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had pity on you?’ 34 His master was angry and delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debt.
35 “So also My heavenly Father will do to each of you, if from your heart you do not forgive your brother for his trespasses.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 18:16 Dt 19:15.
- Matthew 18:24 Several million pounds.
- Matthew 18:28 A few pounds.
Matthew 18
King James Version
18 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.