Matthew 18:10-22

Contemporary English Version

The Lost Sheep

(Luke 15.3-7)

^10-11^(A) Don't be cruel to any of these little ones! I promise you their angels are always with my Father in heaven.^[a] ¹²Let me ask you this. What would you do if you had 100 sheep and one of them wandered off? Wouldn't you leave the 99 on the hillside and go look for the one that had wandered away? ¹³I am sure that finding it would make you happier than having the 99 that never wandered off. ¹⁴That's how it is with your Father in heaven. He doesn't want any of these little ones to be lost.

When Someone Sins

(Luke 17.3)

¹⁵^(B) If one of my followers^[b] sins against you, go and point out what was wrong. But do it in private, just between the two of you. If that person listens, you have won back a follower. ¹⁶^(C) But if that one refuses to listen, take along one or two others. The Scriptures teach that every complaint must be proven true by two or more witnesses. ¹⁷If the follower refuses to listen to them, report the matter to the church. Anyone who refuses to listen to the church must be treated like an unbeliever or a tax collector.^[c]

Allowing and Not Allowing

¹⁸^(D) I promise you God in heaven will allow whatever you allow on earth, but God will not allow anything you don't allow. ¹⁹I promise that when any two of you on earth agree about something you are praying for, my Father in heaven will do it for you. ²⁰Whenever two or three of you come together in my name,^[d] I am there with you.

An Official Who Refused To Forgive

²¹^(E) Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone^[e] who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?”

²²^(F) Jesus answered:

Not just 7 times, but 77 times!^[f]

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Footnotes

18.10,11 in heaven: Some manuscripts add, “The Son of Man came to save people who are lost.”
18.15 followers: The Greek text has “brother,” which is used here and elsewhere in this chapter to refer to a follower of Christ.
18.17 tax collector: See the note at 5.46.
18.20 in my name: Or “as my followers.”
18.21 someone: Or “a follower.” See the note at 18.15.
18.22 77 times: Or “70 times 7.” The large number means that one follower should never stop forgiving another.