Matthew 18
Expanded Bible
Who Is the Greatest?(A)
18 At that time the ·followers [disciples] came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Jesus called a little child to him and stood the child before his ·followers [disciples]. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you must ·change [or turn from your sins; convert; L turn] and become like little children. Otherwise, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 The greatest person in the kingdom of heaven [L therefore] is the one who makes himself humble [and becomes] like this [little] child.
5 “[L And] Whoever ·accepts [welcomes; receives] a child ·in my name [C as a representative or follower of Jesus] ·accepts [welcomes; receives] me [C indicates concern for the lowly; children had low social status]. 6 If someone causes one of these little children who believes in me to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], it would be better for that person to have a ·large stone [large millstone; L millstone of a donkey] tied around the neck and be ·drowned [L thrown] in the [L depths of the] sea. 7 ·How terrible for [L Woe to] ·the people of the world [L the world] because of ·the things that cause them to sin [temptations to sin; L stumbling blocks]. ·Such things will happen [L It is necessary for stumbling blocks to come], but ·how terrible for [L woe to] the one ·who causes them to happen [L through whom the stumbling block comes]! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you ·to lose part of your body and live forever [L to enter life maimed or crippled] than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the ·fire that burns forever [eternal fire]. 9 If your eye causes you to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], ·take [tear; gouge] it out and throw it away. It is better for you to ·have only one eye and live forever [L enter life one-eyed] than to have two eyes and be thrown into the ·fire of hell [L Gehenna of fire; 5:22].
A Lost Sheep(B)
10 “Be careful [Watch out; or See that you…]. Don’t ·think these little children are worth nothing [L despise/look down on one of these little ones]. [L For] I tell you that they have angels in heaven who are always ·with [in the presence of; L see the face of] my Father in heaven. |11 The Son of Man came to save ·lost people [that which was lost].|[a]
12 “[L What do you think?] If a man has a hundred sheep but one of the sheep ·gets lost [goes astray; wanders off], ·he will [L won’t he…?] leave the other ninety-nine on the ·hill [L hills; mountains] and go to look for the lost sheep. 13 I tell you the truth, if he finds it he ·is happier about [rejoices more over] that one sheep than ·about [over] the ninety-nine that ·were never lost [never went astray/wandered off]. 14 In the same way, your Father in heaven ·does not want [is not willing that] any of these little children to ·be lost [perish].
When a Person Sins Against You(C)
15 “If your ·fellow believer [L brother (or sister)] sins against you,[b] go and ·tell him what he did wrong [L reprove/convict/correct him] ·in private [L between you and him alone]. If he listens to you, you have ·helped that person to be your brother or sister again [L gained/won back your brother (or sister)]. 16 But if he refuses to listen, go to him again and take one or two other people with you. ‘Every ·case [matter; charge] may be proved by [the testimony of; L the mouth of] two or three witnesses’ [Deut. 19:15]. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, then treat him like a ·person who does not believe in God [pagan; Gentile] or like a tax collector.
18 “I tell you the truth, ·the things [whatever] you ·don’t allow [forbid; L bind] on earth will be ·the things God does not allow [forbidden/bound in heaven]. And ·the things [whatever] you ·allow [permit; L loose] on earth will be ·the things that God allows [permitted/L loosed in heaven].”
19 “·Also [Again], I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something ·and pray for it [L for which you have asked], it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 ·This is true because if [L For where] two or three people ·come [are assembled/gathered] together in my name, I am there ·with them [among them; in their midst].”
An Unforgiving Servant(D)
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, when my ·fellow believer [L brother (or sister)] sins against me, how many times ·must [should] I forgive him? Should I forgive him as many as seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, you must forgive him not just seven times, but ·seventy times seven times [or seventy-seven times; C the Greek can mean either 490 or 77; the point is unlimited forgiveness]!
23 “[L Therefore; For this reason] The kingdom of heaven is like a king who decided to ·collect the money his servants owed him [L settle accounts with his servants/slaves]. 24 When the king began ·to collect his money [the settlement/reckoning], a ·servant [slave] who owed him ·several million dollars [or billions of dollars; L ten thousand talents; C a talent was worth about six thousand days’ wages; this is an impossibly high debt] was brought to him. 25 But ·the servant [L he] did not have enough money to pay his master. So the master ordered that ·the servant [L he] be sold, together with his wife and children and everything he owned, and the debt paid.
26 “But the ·servant [slave] fell ·on his knees [face down; in obeisance] and begged, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything I owe.’ 27 The master felt ·sorry [compassion] for ·his servant [that slave], so he let him go free and ·forgave [canceled] the debt.
28 “·Later [L After departing], that same ·servant [slave] found ·another servant [a fellow servant/slave] who owed him a ·few dollars [hundred denarii]. ·The servant [L He] grabbed him ·around the neck [L and began choking him] and said, ‘Pay me the money you owe me!’
29 “The ·other servant [fellow servant/slave] fell on his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything I owe.’
30 “But ·the first servant [L he] refused. He threw ·the other servant [him] into prison until he could pay everything he owed. 31 When ·the other servants [his fellow servants/slaves] saw what had happened, they were very ·sorry [upset; distressed]. So they went and ·told [reported to] their master all that had happened.
32 “Then the master called ·his servant [L him] in and said, ‘You ·evil [wicked] ·servant [slave]! Because you ·begged [pleaded with] me, I forgave [canceled] all that debt. 33 ·You should have [L Shouldn’t you have…?] showed mercy to ·that other servant [your fellow servant/slave], just as I showed mercy to you.’ 34 The master was very angry and ·put the servant in prison to be punished [L delivered him to the tormenters/torturers] until he could pay everything he owed.
35 “·This king did what [L So also] my heavenly Father will do to you if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 18:11 The … people. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
- Matthew 18:15 against you Some Greek copies do not have “against you.”
Matthew 18
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
18 At en that ekeinos · ho time hōra the ho disciples mathētēs came proserchomai to ho Jesus Iēsous, saying legō, “ Who tis then ara is eimi the greatest megas in en the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos?” 2 · kai Jesus invited proskaleō a child paidion to come to him, and placing histēmi him autos in en their autos midst mesos, 3 · kai said legō, “ I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, unless ean mē you change strephō and kai become ginomai like hōs · ho children paidion, you will never ou mē enter eiserchomai the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos! 4 For oun whoever hostis humbles tapeinoō himself heautou as hōs · ho this houtos child paidion is eimi · ho greatest megas in en the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos. 5 And kai whoever hos ean welcomes dechomai a heis child paidion like toioutos this in epi · ho my egō name onoma welcomes dechomai me egō. 6 But de whoever hos causes skandalizō one heis of ho these houtos little mikros ones who ho believe pisteuō in eis me egō to sin, it would be better sympherō for him autos to hina have a large onikos millstone mylos hung kremannymi around peri · ho his autos neck trachēlos and kai be drowned katapontizō far out pelagos at en · ho · ho sea thalassa. 7 Woe ouai to the ho world kosmos because apo of the ho things that cause people to sin skandalon! It is inevitable anankē that such ho things skandalon come erchomai, but plēn woe ouai to the ho one anthrōpos through dia whom hos they ho skandalon come erchomai!
8 “ If ei · de · ho your sy hand cheir or ē · ho your sy foot pous causes skandalizō you sy to sin, cut ekkoptō it autos off and kai throw ballō it away apo sy; it is eimi better kalos for you sy to enter eiserchomai · ho life zōē crippled kyllos or ē lame chōlos than ē with echō two dyo hands cheir or ē two dyo feet pous to be thrown ballō into eis · ho eternal aiōnios fire pyr. · ho 9 And kai if ei · ho your sy eye ophthalmos causes skandalizō you sy to sin, gouge exaireō it autos out and kai throw ballō it away apo sy; it is eimi better kalos for you sy to enter eiserchomai life zōē with one monophthalmos eye · ho than ē with echō two dyo eyes ophthalmos to be thrown ballō into eis the ho hell geenna of ho fire pyr.
10 “ See horaō that you do not mē despise kataphroneō one heis of ho these houtos little mikros ones . For gar I tell legō you hymeis that hoti · ho their autos angels angelos in en heaven ouranos always dia pas see blepō the ho face prosōpon of ho my egō Father patēr who ho is in en heaven ouranos. 12 What tis do you hymeis think dokeō? If ean a tis man anthrōpos has ginomai a hundred hekaton sheep probaton and kai one heis of ek them autos goes planaō astray , will he not ouchi leave aphiēmi the ho ninety-nine enenēkonta ennea on epi the ho slopes oros and kai go poreuō in search zēteō of the ho one planaō that has wandered off ? 13 And kai if ean he finds ginomai it autos, I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, he will rejoice chairō over epi it autos more mallon than ē over epi the ho ninety-nine enenēkonta ennea that ho did not mē go planaō astray . 14 In the same houtōs way , it is eimi not ou the will thelēma of ho your hymeis Father patēr · ho in en heaven ouranos that hina even one heis of ho these houtos little ones mikros should perish apollymi.
15 “ If ean · de your sy brother adelphos sins hamartanō, · ho go hypagō and point elenchō out his autos fault between metaxy you sy and kai him autos alone monos. If ean he listens to akouō you sy, you have won kerdainō back · ho your sy brother adelphos. 16 But de if ean he does not mē listen akouō, take paralambanō one heis or ē two dyo others eti with meta you sy so hina that every pas matter rhēma may be confirmed histēmi on epi the evidence stoma of two dyo or ē three treis witnesses martys. 17 If ean · de he refuses parakouō to listen to them autos, tell legō it to the ho church ekklēsia; and de if ean he refuses to listen parakouō even kai to parakouō the ho church ekklēsia, you sy are to treat eimi him as hōsper a ho pagan ethnikos and kai a ho tax telōnēs collector .
18 “ I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, whatever hosos ean you bind deō on epi · ho earth gē will eimi have been bound deō in en heaven ouranos, and kai whatever hosos ean you loose lyō on epi · ho earth gē will eimi have been loosed lyō in en heaven ouranos. 19 “ Again palin, I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, if ean two dyo of ek you hymeis on epi earth gē are in agreement symphōneō · ho about peri anything pas pragma whatever hos ean you may ask aiteō, it will be done ginomai for you autos by para · ho my egō Father patēr who ho is in en heaven ouranos. 20 For gar where hou two dyo or ē three treis are eimi gathered synagō in eis · ho my emos name onoma, I am eimi there ekei in en their autos midst mesos.”
21 Then tote Peter Petros came proserchomai to · ho Jesus autos and said legō, “ Lord kyrios, how posakis often must I forgive aphiēmi my egō brother adelphos when he sins hamartanō against eis me egō? · ho · kai Up heōs to seven heptakis times ?” 22 Jesus Iēsous said legō to him autos, · ho “ I do not ou say legō to you sy, up heōs to seven heptakis times , but alla up heōs to seventy hebdomēkontakis times seven hepta. 23 Therefore dia houtos the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos is like homoioō a king basileus who hos decided thelō to settle synairō accounts logos with meta · ho his autos servants. 24 And de when he autos had begun archō to settle synairō them, a man heis who owed opheiletēs ten thousand myrios talents talanton was brought prospherō to him autos. 25 And de since he autos did not mē have echō the means to repay apodidōmi the debt, his ho master kyrios commanded keleuō that he autos be sold pipraskō along kai with his ho wife gynē and kai · ho children teknon and kai everything pas hosos he had echō, and kai that payment apodidōmi be made . 26 So oun the ho servant fell piptō to the ground prostate proskyneō before him autos, saying legō, ‘ Have makrothumeō patience with epi me egō, and kai I will repay apodidōmi you sy everything pas.’ 27 Moved splanchnizomai with compassion , · de the ho master kyrios of ho that ekeinos servant released apolyō him autos and kai forgave aphiēmi him autos the ho debt daneion. 28 But de that ho same ekeinos servant then went out exerchomai and found heuriskō one heis of ho his autos fellow syndoulos servants who hos owed opheilō him autos a hundred hekaton denarii dēnarion; and kai seizing krateō him autos by the throat began to choke pnigō him, saying legō, ‘ Pay apodidōmi back what ei tis you owe opheilō.’ 29 Therefore oun his autos fellow servant syndoulos fell piptō to the ground · ho and pleaded parakaleō with him autos, saying legō ‘ Have makrothumeō patience with epi me egō, and kai I will repay apodidōmi you sy.’ 30 But de he ho refused ou thelō. Instead alla, he went aperchomai and threw ballō him autos in eis prison phylakē until heōs he should pay apodidōmi back the ho debt opheilō. 31 So oun when his autos fellow servants syndoulos saw · ho what ho had happened ginomai, they became indignant lypeō and kai went erchomai and told diasapheō · ho their heautou master kyrios all pas that ho had taken place ginomai. 32 Then tote his autos master kyrios called proskaleō him autos in · ho and said legō to him autos, ‘You wicked ponēros servant! I forgave aphiēmi you sy all pas · ho that ekeinos debt opheilē because epei you pleaded parakaleō with me egō. 33 And should dei not ou you sy also kai have had mercy eleeō on · ho your sy fellow syndoulos servant , even as hōs I kagō had mercy on eleeō you sy?’ 34 And kai in anger orgizō · ho his autos master kyrios handed paradidōmi him autos over to the ho prison basanistēs guards to torture him until heōs hos he should pay apodidōmi back all pas · ho he owed opheilō. 35 So houtōs also kai will · ho my egō heavenly ouranios Father patēr · ho do poieō to you hymeis, unless ean mē you each hekastos forgive aphiēmi · ho your autos brother adelphos from apo · ho your hymeis heart kardia.”
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The Mounce Reverse Interlinear™ New Testament (MOUNCE)
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